Sex Offender Facing Multiple Child Molestation Charges

The allegations are appalling, and it all started with a tip that 40-year-old Cornelio Jimenez was distributing child pornography.

"These images are pictures and videos of children, even as young as 6 months, being sexually abused," Sgt. Jeff Kertson with Central California ICAC said.

Detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Jimenez Thursday morning on child pornography charges, but it gets worse.

"There were three victims inside the residence and located and identified to be victims of Jimenez," Kertson said.

Fresno Police say Jimenez was a known sex offender and had been living at the home with his wife and another couple, along with the children.

"The children were 7, 3, and 4 years of age. They were not his children. They were the children of another female adult that lived in the residence," Lt. Joe Gomez with Fresno Police said.

Both the wife and couple say they had no knowledge of the alleged abuse, and believed Jimenez to be innocent of any prior sex offenses.

The children are being allowed to remain with their mother.

"The suspect is gone, so there is no threat to the children at this time in that home," Gomez said.

Jimenez’s sex offender status is listed as transient, which means he’s in between addresses. But he’s been living at the home for a year and failed to register as a sex offender, bringing yet another charge against him, making it 12 in all.

The allegations against Jimenez are enough to leave neighbors on edge.

"My little brother and sister go walking down to the liquor store by themselves. It’s crazy," neighbor Edwin Gonzalez.

Investigators say more charges are pending. Jimenez is being held at Fresno County Jail. His bail totals to more than $ 700,000.