Man faces nearly 2 dozen charges of child molestation

FULTON COUNTY, Ga — A Roswell man is facing nearly two dozen charges of child molestation after police said he exposed himself to children and others, a crime police say few initially reported.

Police told Channel 2’s Mike Petchenik Arturo Cervantes, 42, approached a group of children, exposed himself and performed a lewd act on at least two occasions in the past few weeks.

“The fact that a child could see it automatically makes it child molestation,” said Officer Zachary Frommer. “This guy had been out before. Some of the neighbors had already been on the lookout for him.”

Frommer said witnesses were hesitant to call police because they didn’t think 911 dispatchers spoke Spanish.

“If something like this happens, please call us,” Frommer said. “We can speak Spanish and we’ll be out there and will help.”

Frommer said detectives are encouraging other potential witnesses to come forward.

“If anyone saw this guy before and our detectives haven’t already spoken to them, please call the police department,” he said.  “We’ll have an officer come out and talk to them.”

Petchenik spoke to a 9-year-old witness with his mother’s permission.

David told Petchenik that Cervantes approached his older sisters before the incident.

“He asked my sisters if they want candy and they just went running, my sisters,” he said.

David’s mother, Esbaye, said she saw Cervantes expose himself, and immediately took her family back inside their apartment. She said she was thankful police had arrested him.

“All the time was trying to approach the kids, offering candy to approach to them and they were scared,” she said.

WSBTV