Man accused of sex abuse had ties to day care, CA cops say. More victims feared
Investigators are looking for additional victims after a man with ties to a day care was arrested on child sexual abuse charges, California deputies say.
Martin Efrain Barajas, 51, was arrested on a slew of charges March 3, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said in an April 29 news release.
Detectives started an investigation into a 2002 incident after getting a report of lewd acts with a child under the age of 10 in August, deputies said.
Through the investigation, detectives identified Barajas as a suspect and found additional victims, deputies said.
Barajas was arrested on a warrant that included multiple charges, including “two counts of engaging in sex acts with a minor under 10 years of age and five counts of lewd acts with a minor who is under the age of 14,” according to deputies.
Deputies said “they believe there is a likelihood that there could be others who have not yet sought justice.”
Additional victims may have come into contact with Barajas in the early 2000s at a day care run by one of his family members on Lowell Way in Goleta, deputies said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact deputies at 805-681-4150.
Goleta is about a 100-mile drive northwest from Los Angeles.
This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Man accused of sex abuse had ties to day care, CA cops say. More victims feared."
