East LA Party Supply Store Clown Arrested; Allegedly Molested 10-Year-Old Girl Over 4 Years
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A part-time clown for an East Los Angeles party supply store has been arrested on suspicion of molesting a 10-year-old girl.
Florentino Gonzalez Penaloza, 51, was arrested on Sept. 6. He is being held on $950,000 bail.
Authorities say he was a family friend of the girl, who told deputies Penaloza had molested her between 2016 and 2020.
Penaloza performed as "Ponponio," a part-time clown at Payazos Party Supplies in East Los Angeles.
Because of the nature of the allegations, and Penaloza's affiliation with children's entertainment, detectives say he may have more unidentified victims and need the public's help to identify them.
Anyone with information or believes they are a victim can call the Los Angeles County sheriff's Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org.