SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The owner of a Natomas pizza parlor lured young girls with marijuana so that he could commit lewd sexual acts against them, according to Sacramento police.

John Julian Martinez, 42, was arrested by the Sacramento Police Department for furnishing marijuana to and committing lewd acts with a minor at his restaurant, Royal Pizza.

Police say they received information from a community member that Martinez was using Royal Pizza at 2251 Northgate Blvd. as a means to entice juvenile females so he could subject them to sexual behavior.

Detectives conducted an extensive investigation into this allegation and confirmed that Martinez was in fact involved in eliciting sexual behaviors from juvenile victims by promising them marijuana, they said.

He displayed lewd conduct while at his pizza parlor in addition to touching multiple female juveniles in a sexual manner, police said.

Malcolm Butler, who works next door, says he recently talked with an upset mother of one of Martinez's young, female employees.

"The daughter said he came out the back with his robe on and he had nothing underneath it, and they were trying to sue and I don't know what happened with that," said Butler.

Martinez was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on Monday without bail. He's charged with two felonies and two misdemeanors related to the investigation.

The pizza parlor owner refused CBS13's request for a jailhouse interview, but one of his former employees is coming to his defense.

"Yes there would be girls there, but he did not touch them in any way. He would just talk to them like, 'hey what's up,' " said former employee Josh Ramirez.

Ramirez says he never saw anything that looked inappropriate with Martinez's interactions with the young girls.

Police believe Martinez has been engaged in this behavior since he opened his business about two years ago. Detectives are asking anyone who may have been approached by Martinez to contact police.

Call police at (916) 264-5471 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP (4357) or text in a tip to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous.