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Man gets nearly 300 years in prison for molesting 7 Orange County boys

February 22, 2025

A 58-year-old man was sentenced Friday, Feb. 21 to 293 years to life in prison for molesting seven sons of Orange County families who believed him to be a friend.

Alex Mauricio Padilla Beltran had been convicted Nov. 19 of 23 felony charges related to sexual assaults on the seven boys. In total, prosecutors allege 11 victims, but some of those claims were used in the trial to show a pattern of abuse.

In 2023, Orange County agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle a claim that the OC Social Services Agency failed to report a 2011 child abuse complaint about Beltran to police, a failure the lawsuit said allowed alleged abuse to continue for six years. The payout came more than a decade after a county social worker discounted a mother’s allegation that her two children, then 5 and 1 year old, were being abused by Beltran, a family friend.

After Friday’s sentencing hearing in the criminal case against Beltran, a woman whose son and nephew were among the victims said she was “very grateful he’ll be in prison for the rest of his life and never be able to hurt another child.”

She added that she “feels relief. It’s finally over,” but said, “I don’t think we’ll have any type of full closure for the boys.” She said her son and nephew have struggled with alcohol and drug issues because of the crimes.

Beltran tried to get a new attorney substituted on the case right before the hearing but Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard King denied the request. Beltran argued with King about wanting to make his case at sentencing that he was innocent.

“The conduct of the District Attorney has taken eight years of my life and I’m in debt” for about $500,000, Beltran said. “If I have to take it to the Supreme Court, I will do it.”

Beltran referred to Justice Department investigations of the District Attorney’s Office in recent years as he accused Deputy District Attorney Tara Meath of dishonesty. “She lies, she coached, she fabricated evidence,” he said.

Meath denied the claims.

“This is not a case of fabricated evidence,” Meath told King. “These very brave boys … came forward at different points in time.”

Initially, the victims were not believed, Meath said.

“He had such a strong bond and friendship (with the parents), they believed him over their own children,” Meath said. “This defendant in this case has shown no remorse or accountability. He’s a danger to the community. He’s been molesting children for over a decade.”

King pointed out to Beltran that the sentencing hearing was not the appropriate time to “relitigate” the case.

“Why didn’t you let me finish what I had to say?” Beltran asked King after he sentenced him.

“I’m not going to relitigate the guilt in this case,” King responded.

When King told Beltran, “You have a right to appeal the judgment,” Beltran responded, “I will.” When King noted a public defender will be appointed to represent him, Beltran replied, “Good. That will save a lot of money.”

King said Beltran deserved the punishment due to “the seriousness of the offenses and the multiplicity of victims. There were at least three groups of individuals who didn’t know each other who came up with serious conduct in this case.”

The judge added it showed “the predatory nature” of the defendant.

Beltran was friends with the families of three groups of victims, Meath said.

“Everybody loved him,” Meath said in her closing argument of the trial. “He bought ice cream, toys. … He’s Uncle Alex.”

Beltran was “constantly touching these underage kids,” Meath said in her opening statement. “To the extent they would push him away.”

The defendant “took every opportunity he could” to molest the boys, the prosecutor said.

The first case was reported in 2003 to Orange County sheriff’s deputies, Meath said.

The boy said he was touched inappropriately whenever he visited his aunt’s home in Mission Viejo, and it started when he was 11, Meath said. It happened so often he lost count, but estimated about 15 times, according to the prosecutor.

The boy also said the defendant gave him $20 and told him not to tell anyone, Meath said.

“Not much came from that investigation,” the prosecutor said.

The next report of abuse happened in 2009 in Las Vegas, where the defendant was renovating a house, Meath said.

Two brothers said the defendant molested them in September of that year when they went to the house to visit their father, who was working on the house, Meath said.

In court papers, Meath said Beltran pleaded guilty to a felony count of coercion and a misdemeanor count of conspiracy, and was placed on probation.

Another case was reported in January 2015, when one boy said he was molested at his father’s home in Orange County, Meath said. He said the abuse began when he was 6 to 8 years old. The boy’s brother also accused the defendant of molesting him. They were cousins of the first accuser.

In September, 2017, another boy came forward with allegations, Meath said.

In April 2017, yet another boy came forward to Anaheim police after being drug-tested by a doctor as a result of getting in trouble for ditching classes at school, the prosecutor said. The boy told the physician about the abuse that started when he was about 10.

In May 2017, still another boy accused his Beltran — his godfather —of molesting him, Meath said. The boy said he was concerned that the defendant also molested two of his cousins.

Another boy told investigators in May of that year he, too, was molested by the defendant, Meath said.

When Beltran bailed out after being charged with molesting the victims, he nevertheless went out and kept attacking the boys, Meath said.

In legal terms, a sentence of 293 years to life means someone would not even get a chance at parole until serving 293 years.

Orange County Register

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Man gets nearly 300 years in prison for molesting 7 Orange County boys

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