Dos Palos police seek man accused of sex crimes against children

DOS PALOS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police are searching for a North Valley man wanted for numerous sex crimes against children. The suspect has lived in the Dos Palos area for nearly 20 years.

Looking for anything else that could help their sex crimes investigation, Dos Palos police searched the home of 71-year-old Antonio Mendoza Sr. Saturday night. A search warrant on his phone records show he may be in the San Diego area.

"We have placed a warrant out for his arrest and put it out to all agencies in the state of California," Dos Palos Police Officer Donovan Sizemore said.

Police say Mendoza, a local field worker, committed multiple sex crimes against three victims, some more than once. A 17-year-old girl came forward to police last week, and further investigation revealed two more female victims. Police believe there could be more. "Age range anywhere from age 4 to the age of 17," Sizemore said.

Police say the crimes happened in several different locations in the Dos Palos area. They range from child molestation, sexual battery and rape, with the victims all under the age of 14. "And there's other charges coming," Sizemore said.

Sizemore has investigated numerous sex crimes in the Dos Palos area over the last 15 years. He says Mendoza's alleged crimes, which occurred over decades, are the worst he's seen.

"To think about that, you just can't even imagine. It's just horrible to hear. It's just hard to hear the stuff that these victims have come forward and said," Sizemore said.

Police say Mendoza has family in Mexico and may be trying to cross the border. They hope to catch him before that, and would like to hear from any other possible victims as well.