Anaheim, CA- An Anaheim man was arrested by police on February 27 for sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl.

Anaheim, CA- An Anaheim man was arrested by police on February 27 for sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl.
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Santa Ana police say twenty-one year old Sean Rickard met the victim on the Tinder dating app where the victim pretended to be 19 years old. After eight months of talking, the victim told Rickard she was 12.


Police say the victim didn’t go to school Monday and was picked up by Rickard. Rickard took the victim to a parking lot in Santa Ana where he sexually assaulted her.
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Santa Ana Police Special Crimes Detectives posed as the victim on Snapchat to communicate with Rickard.


"Rickard believed he was communicating with the victim and sent a video of himself masturbating. He also agreed to meet the victim later that evening for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity," said a statement from Santa Ana Police Department.


Detectives set up a sting operation and arrested Rickard near a clothing store in Anaheim.

Rickard admitted to knowing the victim was 12-years-old and to picking her up from school and engaging in sex acts. Rickard also admitted to driving to the clothing store in order to meet the victim for the purposes of engaging in sex acts," said the police statement.


Rickard was booked into Orange County Jail on multiple counts of child abuse. His bail was set at $100,000.


Investigators believe there may be other victims and are asking anyone with information on this case to call Detective Nick Vega at 714-245-8368 or nvega@santa-Ana.org.