A Corona man charged with sexually abusing five girls a quarter century ago may have targeted others, prompting police Tuesday to ask anyone with information come forward.
Christopher James Ray, 61, was arrested in February following an investigation by the Riverside Police Department’s Sexual Assault-Child Abuse Unit. Ray is charged with four counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old and sentence-enhancing allegations of targeting multiple minors in sex crimes.
He’s being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center and is slated for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 9 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
According to police Detective Steve Espinosa, the SACA investigation was initiated last September when one of the victims, whose identity was not disclosed, detailed several alleged encounters with Ray in which she was molested.
No specific information was disclosed in the police statement.
After the first individual provided her statement, four others were identified as alleged victims. They also weren’t publicly identified.
“The incidents of sexual abuse occurred approximately 25 years ago when the victims were children, residing in the Casa Blanca neighborhood,” Espinosa said.
All of the alleged victims are now adults.
Ray was taken into custody without incident on Feb. 10 at his residence on Waverly Street. He has a documented prior felony conviction that wasn’t listed in court records.
“Detectives believe there may be additional victims, or individuals with information related to this investigation,” Espinosa said.
Anyone who might know something about the case was asked to contact SACA Detective Jennifer Cappelen at 951-353-7950, or jcappelen@riversideca.gov.