Santa Barbara man pleads not guilty to multiple counts of child exploitation

Santa Barbaran Carlos Arturo Gomez, 60, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to multiple felony and felony child exploitation charges, the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office announced today.

According to court documents, Gomez was charged with four felonies — possession of child pornography, use of a minor for sexual acts, unlawful contact with a child with intent to commit a sexual offense and sending harmful material to a child — and five felonies. of child molestation.

The four felony charges stem from crimes committed between Feb. 9 and Sept. 27 of this year, and all involve the same juvenile victim (“Jane Doe 1” in the criminal complaint), who turned 16 in June. According to the complaint, Gomez asked the teenager to perform sexual acts, which he recorded and had in his possession, and also sent the minor a picture of his penis.

The five molestation charges involve five other Jane Does, all under the age of 18. According to the criminal complaint, the first victim was molested in February, on her 15th birthday. Gomez allegedly continued to molest two other victims, aged 15 and 16, a few days later on February 29. He then allegedly molested two other victims, also aged 15 and 16, on March 11, the complaint states.

The DA’s office said its victim witness services and Santa Barbara police detectives will directly contact victims identified during the investigation, as well as their parents.

Gomez was arraigned in Santa Barbara Superior Court on Nov. 27. A preliminary hearing is set for January 6, 2025. He remains out on bail.