After a half-day preliminary hearing, during which the alleged victim testified, Vista Superior Court Judge Timothy Casserly ruled that there was enough evidence to order Alvarado to stand trial.
The girl, identified only as Jane Doe, testified that she met Alvarado on the popular Web site. She said she lied about her age, listing herself as 14, in order to register on MySpace.com because “that’s the age you have to be to register.”
The teen said she arranged to meet the defendant in Oceanside and directed him to the street where she lives, then met him near a friend’s home.
The two then drove in Alvarado’s black Ford SUV to the beach and took a walk on the sand, she said.
“We kissed,” the girl testified. “He stuck his hand in my pants.”
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The teen said she refused the defendant a number of times but finally gave in.
After they had sex, the defendant drove to a Baskin-Robbins and they had ice cream before he dropped her off down the street from her home, the girl said.
She testified that she quickly regretted having sex. The defendant later sent her an instant message apologizing for his behavior, she said.
The case underscores the growing problem with internet profile sites like MySpace.com. This is one of many similar cases in which minors have been solicited for sexual favors. Parents need to start educating their teens to use caution on these sites and should monitor their activity on such sites.