Central Valley man faces 31 charges in Oregon, Fresno County sex abuse case

Cedric Valdez, 23, was arrested Jan. 17 and is being held in Washington County Jail in Oregon as prosecutors in Oregon and Fresno County pursue a case that spans shopping centers, retail parking lots and local neighborhoods in the Central Valley.

Fox 26 reported that Valdez faces 31 charges between the two states. In Oregon, the case includes 14 counts of third-degree sexual abuse, five counts of practicing massage without a license and four counts of harassment. In Fresno County, prosecutors filed six additional counts, including three counts of annoying or molesting children under 18, and the Fresno Sheriff Department confirmed there is also one warrant from Fresno Police tied to Valdez.

Investigators say Valdez approached girls by claiming he was a reflexology student and offering free foot rubs. Prosecutors allege the encounters escalated from there, with reports that he licked toes, sniffed feet and took photographs without consent. Hillsboro police said the conduct stretched over several months and involved women approached in stores, parking lots and near storefronts at shopping centers, including the Target at Sunset Esplanade in Hillsboro.

The case has widened as more people have come forward. Fox 26 reported that 50 women had reported abuse cases in Oregon, with another 50 still unidentified. Later Oregon coverage said investigators had identified 79 people who had contact with Valdez, including 31 considered potential sex-abuse victims. Washington County prosecutors later said he was facing 41 criminal counts, with bail set at $100,000 and trial scheduled for Aug. 3.

The cross-county filings show how allegations can follow a suspect across state lines and through multiple law enforcement agencies. Fresno County’s complaint, Oregon’s sexual-abuse and harassment counts, and the active Fresno Police warrant all point to the same problem for investigators: one person’s contact with victims can unfold in several jurisdictions before a full pattern becomes visible.

Authorities say the public should treat unsolicited offers of physical contact from strangers, especially in stores, parking lots and other busy public places, as a warning sign. In this case, investigators say the suspect used a low-pressure pitch about reflexology and free foot rubs to get close enough to commit the alleged abuse.