Judge sentences man for lewd behavior with 12-year-old girl in Coachella Valley

A 27-year-old Corona man accused of leaving La Quinta Middle School with a 12-year-old girl he contacted via social media was sentenced today after pleading guilty in September.

Joshua Meza was previously charged with six felony counts of committing a lewd act on a child under 14 and one felony count each of kidnapping a victim under 14, contact with a minor for the purpose of committing certain crimes, displaying harmful substances to a minor. He accepted the accusation. Attempting to sell child sexual content and possessing a knife or similar object at school, according to court records. He also pleaded guilty to one count of carrying a loaded firearm in a public place.

Judge Susanne Cho sentenced Meza to three years in prison Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to Thalia Hayden of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. Case records showed that the sentence included a 10-year criminal protection order.

According to a statement supporting the request for increased bail in the Meza case, deputies from the Thermal sheriff’s station responded to La Quinta Middle School in May 2023 regarding a report of a 12-year-old girl being taken without her parents’ consent.

In the statement, “The victim stated that she went with the suspect willingly and admitted that they kissed and touched her clothes. It is currently unknown whether they had sexual intercourse.” “Although I did not provide his current address, he traveled from the city of Corona to meet a child and I believe he poses a danger to children in the community.”

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, when deputies arrived at the school, employees gave them the suspect’s vehicle license plate number. While deputies were investigating the area at 14.14, Meza’s vehicle was found returning to school.

Deputies searched his vehicle and found a firearm, according to the department. While Meza was taken into custody without any incident, the young man was handed over to his family.

“The investigation determined that the juvenile was communicating with the suspect via social media,” RSO Deputy David Aldrich said in a statement at the time. “The victim did not suffer any injuries during the incident.”

Meza was being held at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on $200,000 bail. He had no previous convictions in Riverside County.