70-year-old man charged with molesting child relative decades ago

HALF MOON BAY >> A 70-yearold man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of molesting a relative in Half Moon Bay some 30 years ago, according to authorities.

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Wednesday morning that the office had begun an investigation into San Francisco resident Manuel Cortes in June 2022. Officials said the man sexually assaulted a family member under the age of 14 over a three-year period, but they did not release any further details about the allegations.

San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said Wednesday that his office will charge Cortes with one count of child molestation for allegedly sexually penetrating a child 10 or younger. Wagstaffe said the crime took place from Jan. 1, 1991 to Feb. 6, 1995, as the victim couldn't remember the exact date of the alleged assault.

Wagstaffe added that under laws applying to the early 1990s, Cortes could face up to eight years in prison if convicted. Modern statutes could have resulted in a sentence of life in prison under a conviction for a similar crime that took place more recently, he added.

Officers arrested Cortes on Tuesday in San Francisco and he was booked into Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on a nobail warrant. He was set to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Redwood City.

Sheriff's officials said they did not know if there might be other potential victims, considering the length of time that had passed since the alleged crimes.

The Sheriff's Office asked anyone who may have information about this case to contact Detective Cousenes at 650-363-4066 or email RCousenes@smcgov.org, or contact Detective Chong at 650-599-1516 or email GChong@smcgov.org.