El Dorado County man arrested, faces more than 70 charges of sex acts with children
An El Dorado County man, who law enforcement officials believe may have sexually abused children for more than two decades, was arrested last week for the second time in as many months and faces more than 70 charges related to sex acts with minors.
Joshua John Bowen, 47, pleaded not guilty to 74 total felony charges at his arraignment Monday, El Dorado Superior Court records show. He’s being held without bail after he was arrested Friday in the 8600 block of Mosquito Road.
An investigation into his alleged behavior began in 2022, the Placerville Police Department said in a news release.
Investigators executed a search warrant to probe Bowen’s home when they recovered his electronic devices, according to the police news release.
“During an in-depth analysis of the electronics seized, investigators discovered more individuals that investigators had probable cause to believe were victims of Bowen during their childhood,” police said online. “It was discovered that Bowen may have been sexually abusing minors for at least two decades.”
Officers began looking into Bowen in December 2022 after he allegedly attempted to meet child to engage in sexual activity, police said. He was arrested, but then released.
It’s unclear why Bowen was released or if he posted bail. But he was arrested again two more times this year, after a man came forward last month alleging he may have been victimized by Bowen as a child, police said. El Dorado Superior Court records show Bowen was released from jail after his arrest last month after posting $500,000 bail.
In total, Bowen faces the following 74 charges, all felonies: 32 counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child who is 14 or 15 years old; 24 counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old; four counts of oral copulation with victims under the age of 18 years; four counts of arranging to meet a child; four counts of oral copulation with a child; two counts of contacting a child for sex; and one count each of stalking, oral copulation by force, violence, duress, menace and fear, attempted sodomy with a child and sending child pornography with the intent to seduce a minor.
Court records indicate that the some of the allegations date back as far as 1998. The total number of alleged victims was not immediately clear.
“The Placerville Police Department would like to remind parents and guardians that social media is the most common medium used by sexual predators for these types of activities,” police said online.
The investigation into Bowen is ongoing. He’s scheduled to appear in court July 19 for a hearing.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Placerville police at 530-642-5210.
