A man was arrested for allegedly committing lewd acts near a high school in Riverside.
In January 2025, Riverside Police began investigating after receiving several reports of a man engaging in lewd behavior while inside a car that was parked next to Abraham Lincoln High School.
At least three female witnesses reported seeing the man masturbating while he sat inside his black Mercedes-Benz C300 sedan, police said.
Investigators later identified the suspect as Francis Ledesma Castillo, 37, of Garden Grove. On May 1, Castillo was located by officers in Garden Grove, where he was taken into custody.
While serving a search warrant at his home, police found several unregistered firearms, including an illegally manufactured AR-style rifle, along with armor-piercing ammunition.
Castillo was arrested on multiple charges, including annoying or molesting children, indecent exposure, and various weapons violations.
Investigators released Castillo’s booking photo and images of his car as they search for more victims.
“We believe Mr. Ledesma Castillo may have committed similar lewd acts in his black Mercedes-Benz near many other schools across Riverside and Orange counties over the past year,” said Riverside Police Captain Chad Milby. “It’s likely there are additional victims who have not yet come forward.”
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Officer Francisco Madrigal at 951-826-5638 or [email protected], or contact Detective Andre Sanchez at 951-353-7133 or [email protected].
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app by using the “Send a Message” feature. App downloads for Apple devices can be found here. Android device downloads can be found here.
