Concord dental assistant charged with molestation takes plea deal

CONCORD, Calif. -- A Concord dental assistant pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to five counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old, Contra Costa County prosecutors said.

Alejandro Saro of Antioch made his plea at 8:30 a.m. in a Martinez courtroom before Judge Patricia Scanlon. The guilty plea included an enhancement for having contact with more than one victim, Deputy District Attorney Aron DeFerrari said.

RELATED: More victims identified in alleged molestation in Concord dental assistant case

Saro will spend 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 22.

Saro was arrested on April 2, 2016, on suspicion of molesting a sedated 8-year-old girl in the Concord dental office where he worked. Since then, police identified four other victims.

Saro worked at La Clinica Monument at 2000 Sierra Road where some of the victims were molested after Saro started there in March 2015.

Saro also worked at Patino Orthodontics at 2751 Concord Blvd. where at least one victim was molested, police said.

According to DeFerrari, the victims were courageous in coming forward and were able to prevent Saro from possibly abusing anyone else.

The first allegation was made by a girl who said that he touched and photographed her vaginal area as she was being sedated in an exam room.

RELATED: Another victim accuses Concord dental assistant of molestation

DeFerrari also praised the Concord Police Department whose officers "used community outreach and compassion for the victims and their families that made it possible to achieve this result today."

Saro's attorney, Evan Kuluk with the county's Alternate Defender's Office, was not immediately available for comment.