Man arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing pre-teen girl

According to L.A. County Sheriff’s Department officials, the suspect now in custody had abused the victim multiple times from 2011 to 2013

A 38-year-old North Hollywood man was arrested Monday morning on suspicion of sexually abusing the pre-teenage daughter of a Santa Clarita woman he was seeing at the time, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials.

The victim, now a teenager, accused Sebastian Palma of sexually abusing her between 2011 and 2013, beginning when she was 10 years old, said Sgt. Joseph Mesa of the Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau. The victim, Mesa added, reported the incidents in 2021, and the handling detective found probable cause to make the arrest.

“The act occurred a few times over the course of his involvement with the family,” Mesa said.

Mesa also said that there was no suspected sexual intercourse between the two, and that the man is accused of digitally penetrating the victim’s vagina. He said the District Attorney’s Office will decide whether to file charges in the case.

The suspect’s bail is set at $250,000 and he was still in custody as of Tuesday.