Mountain View handyman accused of molesting 2 young girls

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- A Mountain View man has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing two young girls. Police arrested Ramiro Palacios for committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child at the mobile home park where he lives with his family.

The 43-year-old worked as a handyman, often hired to do odd jobs for his neighbors.

Police say it was during one of those jobs that he lured two young girls -- ages 7 and 8 -- to a secluded area and touched them. They say it happened separately over the course of several days.

Residents of the Moffett Mobilehome Park were surprised to hear that their neighbor is under arrest.

"I can't believe it," said neighbor Belinda Preseren. "I mean, he asked my son, 'do you believe in God?' You know. He looked like he had the love of the Lord in his heart."

Police say the two young girls are sisters who told their parents what happened. They don't live at the mobile home park but visit their grandmother there regularly.

The arrest also came as a surprise to members of the Mountain View Spanish Seventh Day Adventist Church. They say Palacios has been attending service regularly for years.

"Anyone who ends every sentence with 'God bless you' is always a warning sign," said Moffett Mobilehome Park Manager Joe Lilley.

But others say they always had a weird feeling about Palacios. They're now thankful their little ones didn't get close to him.

"It was a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old girl and that bothers me because I have a 10-year-old granddaughter," said neighbor Cassandra Lilley. "Wouldn't like that at all and knowing that he's just right over there really bothers me."

Police are asking for the public's help to identify other children who may have been victimized by the suspect. Anyone with information may call Detective Jessica Nanez at (650) 903-6395 or leave an anonymous tip at (650) 961-5800.