SAN FRANCISCO—Joven Aruta Agapito, 45, was arrested by the San Francisco Police Department on November 23 for numerous crimes against children.
Authorities indicated in a press release that parents of several children and the director of a local Chinatown dance group reported that they witnessed a man regularly filming their children’s dancing practices and their public performances since 2018.
“It was learned that Agapito did not have any personal or familial connections to anyone at the dance group,” the SFPD revealed.
Agapito created a YouTube channel, where he would subsequently post the videos that he took of the children.
Authorities stated that Agapito contacted “several of the dance group members” and sent them inappropriate messages on social media. “In some of the messages Agapito indicated that he wanted to be in a relationship with some of the underage members,” the SFPD stated.
The San Francisco Police Department revealed that they handed the investigation over to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) division. While conducting their investigation, they determined that Agapito attempted to meet one of the underage minors for sex.
Jail records indicate that the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office charged Agapito with one count each of meeting a minor for lewd purposes and arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes.
The SF District Attorney’s Office also charged Agapito with 4 counts of contacting a minor for sexual offense.
“Every person who contacts or communicates with a minor, or attempts to contact or communicate with a minor, who knows or reasonably should know that the person is a minor, with intent to commit an offense…shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for the term prescribed for an attempt to commit the intended offense,” the California Legislature states.
The San Francisco Sherriff’s Office booked Agapito on November 23 at 5:51 p.m. and his bond was set at $250,000. According to the jail records, his next court date is on Tuesday, December 29, at 9 a.m.
The SFPD is still investigating the case. Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the department’s tip line at 415-575-4444 or by text at “TIP411” beginning the message with “SFPD.” All tipsters will remain anonymous.
