Central Coast man arrested on suspicion of trying to arrange sex with 11-year-old girl

A Santa Maria man accused of arranging to meet with a minor to engage in sexual acts was arrested Wednesday morning, according to Lt. Daniel Rios of the Santa Maria Police Department.

Detectives, with assistance from the department’s Community Services Unit, arrested the man about 9 a.m. in a parking lot in Santa Maria after he arrived to meet with who he believed were the woman and her 11-year-old daughter, Rios said.

Salvador Montar Morales, 37, allegedly used social media messaging to meet with the adult mother and 11-year-old girl with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the child, Rios said.

Montar Morales was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of arranging and meeting with a minor with the intent to engage in sexual acts and electronically sending and soliciting harmful/obscene sexual material.

The case will be forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible filing of criminal charges, Rios added.

This story was originally published March 21, 2024 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Central Coast man arrested on suspicion of trying to arrange sex with 11-year-old girl."