MIDLAND — A Midland man has been arraigned on six felony charges after an 11- to 13-year-old girl reported receiving vulgar and sexually explicit messages and images, police said.
Louis Padilla, 39, faces:
Two counts of possessing child sexually abusive material
Two counts of distributing sexually explicit visual or verbal material
Two counts of accosting children for immoral purposes
Padilla is being held in the Midland County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
“He had several sexually explicit images of young girls on his phone,” said Midland Police Department Public Relations Officer Brennon Warren. He noted that none of the victims were identifiable, suggesting some images may have been purchased online.
The investigation began on Dec. 2 after the girl received messages from an unknown number. Police traced the number to Padilla, confiscated his phone, and discovered the illicit material. A warrant was issued, and he was arrested on Sunday.
Padilla previously served 165 days in jail in 2019 for two counts of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police, to which he pleaded no contest.
He is scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 1 p.m. on Jan. 6 before Midland County District Court Judge Michael Carpenter.
