SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — An international effort has led to the arrest of a wanted Mountain View man, Franklin Enrique Sarceño Orla, 35, who appeared in court on Monday.
Sarceño Orla is accused of assaulting at least 19 men, with the number of victims potentially as high as 60, in incidents dating back to 2018. He made his first court appearance in a Santa Clara County courtroom, where he faces charges that could lead to life in prison.
Mountain View Police Department Detective Lauren Riffel, the lead investigator on the case, revealed that Sarceño Orla allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted multiple men while working as a barber.
“When you have more than one, that’s crazy enough,” Det. Riffel said. “When you have more than 5, 10, going all the way up to over 60 people — talking to 60 humans that were victimized in a certain population — it’s terrible to have to hear these stories over and over again.”
Sarceño Orla had fled the country to Guatemala but was recently brought back to the United States for his court appearance. District Attorney Jeff Rosen explained that Sarceño Orla skipped court after posting bail following his arrest for his first alleged rape last fall.
Court documents detail a troubling series of crimes dating back to 2018. Victims reported losing consciousness after sharing drinks with Sarceño Orla, then waking up injured in his home. Some of the victims were clients at his home barber shop in Mountain View, while others were men he met in local nightclubs.
Additionally, DA Rosen confirmed that enhancements have been added to the charges because Sarceño Orla is HIV positive.
“Once this individual fled the country, we made sure that we did everything we could to bring him back,” Rosen said. “We don’t forget.”
Mountain View Police Chief Michael Canfield praised the survivors who came forward, helping to bring this case to justice.
“In my career of almost 27 years, I have never seen a case like this with this scope, with his breadth of impact on our community,” Chief Canfield said. “With this arrest, our community is safer and our victims know that there is justice that they can seek.”
Sarceño Orla remains in custody after a judge ruled no bail will be allowed. He is scheduled to return to court for his next appearance in January.
### Resources
If you or someone you know needs help with sexual assault, rape, or abuse, please seek support from local resources and organizations specializing in victim assistance.
https://abc7news.com/post/franklin-enrique-sarceo-orla-mountain-view-barber-accused-sexually-assaulting-least-19-men-makes-1st-court-appearance/18078303/