Man with foot fetish accused of preying on 100 victims after posing as a therapeutic massage pupil
A 23-year-old man accused of posing as a “massage therapy student” to target women and girls’ feet has been arrested amid claims from more than 100 alleged victims
23-year-old Cedric Valdez(Image: Hillsboro Police)
A perv with a foot fetish has been accused of using a fake “massage therapy student” story to get close to women and girls and access their feet. Cedric Valdez, 23, faces dozens of charges with more than 100 people coming forward to say they were abused.
He told investigators he had a sexual attraction to feet and admitted targeting women for around five years, according to court documents cited by local media. His alleged victims were reportedly aged between 14 and 47.
Valdez was arrested in January after an investigation found he had massaged, kissed, smelled and licked the feet of four alleged victims. After authorities announced the arrest, further complainants came forward.
Investigators allege Valdez would approach women in shops or car parks, claiming he needed help with a school project, then walk with them to their vehicles and make contact with their feet.
Police say he would also take photos or videos during these encounters, with some allegedly later uploaded to pornographic sites, True Crime reported. He would present himself as a massage therapy student, they say.
KGW reports that 13 of the alleged victims were minors and that Valdez would allegedly pretend to be a minor when speaking to younger girls. KPTV also reports he has an outstanding warrant in California after allegedly exposing himself to a minor.
Valdez from Fresno, California, was arrested in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. One alleged victim urged the judge not to release him, saying in court: “After he assaulted me, I haven’t been able to sleep well and have had problems at work.
“In fact, one time when I was at work I saw a person that looked like him and urinated myself.” The judge reportedly said Valdez could only be released before his August trial if he met strict conditions set by the court.
Valdez is charged with practising massage without a licence, sexual harassment and 41 counts of sexual abuse. Bail has been set at $10,000 (about £8,000).
Valdez’s potential prison time isn’t fixed at this stage and would depend on exactly what he’s convicted of and whether any sentences are ordered to run consecutively or concurrently.
Based on the 16 sexual abuse counts alone, Valdez could face up to about 16 years in prison in Oregon if convicted and given maximum, consecutive terms. Separate California charges could add more.
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