Social Media Sleuthing Leads to Arrest of Suspected Child Sex Predator
– By F. Scott Faulkner
CARPINTERIA, CA — Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies arrested 22-year-old Oxnard resident Ramiro
Hernandez following a months-long investigation into alleged sex crimes involving a Carpinteria
juvenile.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Raquel Zick, the
case began in November when “a missing juvenile returned to her home in Carpinteria.”
The ensuing law enforcement investigation indicated that Hernandez had been communicating with
the juvenile through social media for an extended period of time and was “aware of her age.”
Investigators traced the juvenile’s online activities to Snapchat and Instagram accounts linked to
Hernandez. Authorities executed multiple search warrants on those social media accounts “to
determine who was operating the profiles,” ultimately identifying Hernandez as the suspect.
On the morning of February 26, SBSD deputies visited the Hernandez residence and took him
into custody. He was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on charges
that included “assault with intent to commit a sex crime, traveling to meet a minor for lewd and
lascivious acts, sexual battery, and furnishing alcohol and marijuana to a minor.”
Hernandez remains in custody with his bail set at $100,000.
