Employee arrested on suspicion of sexual assault at California mall store

A man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a customer at MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana earlier this month, police said.

Around 9 p.m. on Jan. 15, a 44-year-old woman reported she had been sexually assaulted earlier that day at the mall, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. She told officers she had visited Bee & Co., a store inside the mall, where she purchased facial cream and was offered a complimentary facial.

The woman said she was introduced to a male employee and taken to a back room for a facial and massage. During the service, the employee allegedly sexually assaulted her, police said.

Investigators later identified the suspect as 26-year-old Jermi Gerardo Characoto Caraballo of Santa Ana. He was arrested on Wednesday in the mall parking lot, police said.

Caraballo was booked into the Santa Ana Jail on sexual assault-related charges, and bail was set at $100,000, police said.

A spokesperson for the store could not be reached for comment.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims or witnesses and are asking anyone with information to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Corporal D. Gray at 714-245-8381 or dgray@santa-ana.org. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.