Man convicted after 'To Catch A Predator' sting arrested again
A sex offender who was captured in a sting on the TV show "To Catch A Predator" nearly 20 years ago has been arrested again — this time in Orange County — on suspicion of sexually assaulting a minor.
Prosecutors charged 63-year-old Robert Rudy Salinas with committing lewd acts with a minor, meeting a minor to commit lewd conduct and contacting a minor with intent to commit a specified offense, after he was arrested by Garden Grove police Feb. 3, according to jail and court records.
Garden Grove police officials did not provide any details about the case and said it remains under investigation. The crime involved a victim between 14 and 15 years old and took place on New Year's Day, according to the criminal complaint.
Salinas has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.
In their complaint against Salinas, Orange County prosecutors highlighted a previous conviction that involved his appearance on "To Catch a Predator."
In 2007, Salinas thought he was sending lewd messages to a 13-year-old girl and promised to bring sandwiches and ice cream to her home. Salinas instead walked into a sting operation and was greeted by host Chris Hansen.
"I deserve what you do to me, but I beg for your forgiveness," Salinas said to Hansen in the episode.
Salinas said he was a father and attempted to leave the house with the sandwiches and ice cream, but was arrested by police. He was convicted of attempting to commit a lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 and is listed on the Megan's Law website.
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eater
13 hours ago
- Eater
Los Angeles Restaurants Step Up Amid the Ongoing Anti-ICE Protests
Since Friday, thousands of Los Angeles residents have taken to the streets to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration sweeps throughout Southern California. On Saturday, June 7, President Donald Trump dispatched the National Guard to minimize protests without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom. As of June 10, the Pentagon deployed 700 Marines to protect federal agents and buildings. It's a contentious time for Los Angeles County as LA Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Newsom claim the Trump Administration has intentionally provoked the unrest. Through it all, fruit vendors and restaurants have been assisting not only protestors but also law enforcement. The Los Angeles Times reports that a street food vendor who sells aguas frescas and bacon-wrapped hot dogs assisted protesters over the weekend. As protesters found themselves battling tear gas, vendors Cinthia Soriao, Edgar Hernandez, and Sesarin Hernandez poured milk into their eyes. The Los Angeles Times report also states that the vendors fed protesters, as did other hot dog vendors. Across town at Compton's Pupuseria La Ceiba, workers aided deputies who were hit with tear gas. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department emailed Newsweek the following statement: 'Without hesitation, the restaurant employees stepped in to assist the deputies, helping them decontaminate from the effects of the tear gas.' Restaurants temporarily close during protests Citing safety concerns during nearby protests, ICE roundups, and police activity, Mermaid bar closed its doors temporarily on Monday, June 9. Other Downtown restaurants followed suit, including Chinatown's Lasita and Redbird. The Ranch House at Calamigos Guest Ranch reopens After closing during the Palisades Fire, one of Malibu's restaurants reopened in early June. Calamigos Guest Ranch's on-site restaurant, the Ranch Club, is located 12 miles away from Pacific Palisades, which was devastated by January wildfires. Until late May, access to portions of Pacific Coast Highway was closed except to residents, construction and cleanup crews, and emergency responders, leaving Malibu somewhat isolated. The Ranch Club team took the time to revamp the restaurant's interior and adjust its menu. The family-owned restaurant is typically open to members only, but is now available to the public on specific nights. Reservations are available on Resy. Din Tai Fung's new shaved ice Those obsessed with Din Tai Fung can taste a new dessert starting in July: shaved snow with fresh mango. The condensed milk-based dessert has a fluffy consistency, gets drizzled with mango sauce, and is topped with fresh mango. RYLA's ramen night anniversary RYLA chef Ray Hayashi will celebrate his third year by hosting a Ramen Party on June 11 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. He'll feature ramen chefs from Zoku and Mogu Mogu with special ramen bowls for the evening. It's safe to recommend making a reservation.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Phil McGraw doubles down on his role as a MAGA propagandist amid ICE raids in Los Angeles
Recent reports highlight how Donald Trump's allies are using his bigotry-fueled crackdown on immigrants as an opportunity to produce and promote MAGA propaganda. As Los Angeles Times television editor Maira Garcia reported Monday, talk show host Phil McGraw — better known as Dr. Phil — has essentially used his television network, MeritTV, to put a positive spin on raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While some outlets reported that McGraw himself had embedded with ICE agents during their raids in Los Angeles — like he had with previous raids — Garcia confirmed that members of his production team were the ones present, to capture footage, and that McGraw instead conducted an interview with Trump's 'border czar,' Tom Homan, and hung out in a Department of Homeland Security field office as the raids were underway. In other words, McGraw and his team were granted prime access on the ground to help the administration spin its story. And such influencers are proving essential in whipping up right-wing hysteria over immigrants, as Reuters reported last year. The interview with Homan on McGraw's network features some of the footage his team captured during the raids, and McGraw himself peddles a fair amount of propaganda. At one point, for example, he alleged without evidence that one of the businesses raided had been operating as a front for foreign cartels — a claim that even Homan had to say was still under investigation. But this whole setup underscores the Trump administration's apparent obsession with turning immigration enforcement into some sort of made-for-TV spectacle. As The Washington Post reported Tuesday, the White House recently posted footage of an ICE raid on its Instagram account that garnered backlash for its 'reality show' feel: The White House last month posted a video that it said showed an 'EPIC takedown of 5 illegal aliens' outside a home improvement store and included an ICE hotline to solicit more tips. The clip, recorded by ICE agents' cameras, was liked 68,000 times but also drew criticism from commenters, who called it 'disturbing' and said this 'isn't a reality show.' Also in May, Homeland Security officials confirmed there had been talks within the department about potentially launching a reality show centered on people trying to obtain American citizenship. And just last year, Trump openly floated his idea to have a 'migrant league of fighters' that would be pitted against trained mixed martial arts fighters. All of these ideas appear to be part of an effort to dehumanize immigrants in the eyes of many Americans, by portraying them more as seedy characters in a TV show — like criminals on 'Cops,' perhaps — rather than people worthy of dignity and due process. This article was originally published on
USA Today
17 hours ago
- USA Today
Where are the protests happening in LA? See maps of key locations
Where are the protests happening in LA? See maps of key locations Show Caption Hide Caption The Insurrection Act explained: What it is and how presidents use it The Insurrection Act allows presidents to deploy the military within the country during unrest. Here's what the law says and how it's been used. Protests in Los Angeles over a series of federal immigration raids entered their fifth consecutive day on June 10, as demonstrations spread across the city and protestors occasionally clashed with a ballooning force of federal and local law enforcement. Tensions have only increased since protests began Friday, June 6, as the president this week authorized approximately 700 U.S. Marines to join the growing military response. The move drew searing criticism from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has sued the administration over the initial 2,000-member National Guard deployment. As of Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department said there have been over 600 non-lethal bullets fired and 50 arrests, many for refusing to follow orders to disperse. Here's where the protests have largely occurred over the past five days in Los Angeles. Protests: In LA's Paramount neighborhood ICE raids hit hard. Here's why. The protests began Friday, June 6, when dozens gathered in the Fashion District near downtown Los Angeles after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents appeared at a clothing business there. The day ended with four different search warrants executed across the city by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a spokesperson for Homeland Security told the Los Angeles Times. At least 44 people were arrested. By that evening, more than 100 people gathered outside a downtown Los Angeles federal detention center and the Los Angeles Federal Building, calling for an end to immigration raids in the city and demanding that detained immigrants be released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. LA protests live: Pentagon estimates deployment cost at $134 million The demonstrations gained steam into the weekend, in response to a Saturday morning gathering of Border Patrol agents in the Latino suburb of Paramount, according to the Los Angeles Times. Protests spread a few blocks west across the Los Angeles River to Compton, and around 6 p.m. PT, Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles. Demonstrations and clashes between protestors and law enforcement continued, with National Guard troops deployed by Trump arriving in downtown Los Angeles Sunday, with several dozen going to the Metropolitan Detention Center, where protesters converged in large numbers starting Friday. The situation began to escalate as the afternoon wore on Sunday. At least five Waymo self-driving taxis were vandalized by protesters who spray-painted them with anti-Trump and anti-ICE slogans and at least two were set on fire. At one point, a crowd of protesters walked onto the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic in both directions. Tensions flared on the streets into the week, with some instances of violence and looting, and hundreds of demonstrators on Monday gathering outside the federal detention center and the Edward R. Roybal Federal building in downtown Los Angeles, where immigrants have been held. Protests also sprang up in more than half a dozen other U.S. cities in recent days, including New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. More: When does a protest become a riot? Experts weigh in amid unrest in LA Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, Thao Nguyen, John Bacon, USA TODAY; Reuters. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
