"We're talking about a 26-year-old and an individual, I believe in his 60s, preying on somebody 13 years of age or younger. Those are very serious charges," said Lt. Jeff Hallock with the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
Authorities say the investigation started after a concerned parent contacted a school officer at Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo to report an inappropriate relationship between the girl and an adult male.
The school officer contacted investigators from the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force, who then interviewed the victim.
The girl told investigators that she had a sexual relationship with a person she believed be her boyfriend, Alex Valesquez.
Investigators allege the victim, identified only as Jane Doe 1, met Avila through an online dating website called Waplog.com. He pretended to be only 18 and used the fake name Alex Valesquez.
Authorities later determined that Valesquez is really 26-year-old Benjamin Avila of Anaheim.
The victim also told detectives that she had sex with her boyfriend's uncle, who was later identified as 63-year-old Jose Luis Gonzalez of Anaheim.
The alleged sexual relationships occurred from March 2013 until September 2013. The girl said the men told her that she had to have sex with Gonzalez in order to continue to see Avila.
Investigators discovered explicit text messages between the girl and Avila. They said the messages also implicated Gonzalez.
Avila and Gonzalez were arrested Thursday for child molestation of a female, 13 years or younger, communicating with a minor online and arranging to meet a minor for a lewd act. Both men are due back in court on Nov. 15.
Avila's bail was set at $100,000 and Gonzalez's bail was set at $1 million. Gonzalez's bail was set higher due in part to a 2000 allegation that he molested a girl under 10 years old. But that case was dismissed.
Investigators say electronic communication between Avila and Gonzalez indicate they have together targeted and met other females for sex. Authorities say, based on emails and text messages, they're concerned there may be other potential victims.
Anyone with information was asked to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) 847-6227.
