A self-proclaimed “spiritual healer” who was charged last month with raping two customers in Anaheim was charged Monday with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl more than 20 years ago.
Leopoldo Garcia Garcia, 69, was charged Dec. 23 with two counts of forcible rape, with a sentencing enhancement for multiple victims. One of the rapes occurred Aug. 11 and the other on Oct. 1, 2018, according to the criminal complaint.
On Monday, Garcia was charged with one felony count each of committing a forcible lewd act on a child and aggravated sexual assault on a child with a foreign object. The assaults are alleged to have occurred on Nov. 3, 1999, according to court records.
The girl was part of a family with whom Garcia became acquainted, said Anaheim police Sgt. Shane Carringer. What type of relationship the family had with the defendant was unclear.
The alleged victim, who is now an adult, came forward after hearing news reports about the alleged rapes of the customers, Carringer said.
Garcia posted $100,000 bail and was freed from Anaheim’s jail last month before he was initially charged, Carringer said. The criminal complaint included a warrant for the defendant’s arrest with $1 million bail requested, and he eluded authorities until Thursday, the sergeant said.
One of the alleged victims, who is in her 40s, said she was sexually assaulted multiple times over several weeks when she came to Garcia for his services at his business Botanica El Padrino in the Anaheim Market Place at 1440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Carringer said.
Garcia, also known as Leo or Curandero, bills himself as a spiritual healer who tells clients that he can help them remove a curse on them if they have sex with him, Carringer alleged.
Investigators are concerned there may be more alleged victims and asked for anyone with relevant information to call detectives at 714-765-1617.