Vallejo police have arrested a San Francisco man on suspicion of fondling a minor in a restaurant in August and possessing child pornography, a police lieutenant said.
Officers responded on Aug. 31 to an IHOP restaurant at 114 Plaza Drive after a citizen reported a man fondling a child, Lt. Fabio Rodriguez said.
Alexander Bantov, 58, was with two minors he was looking after when police arrived at the restaurant. Bantov was arrested after a second restaurant patron reported seeing him touching a minor, Rodriguez said.
Bantov was booked in the county jail for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and later released.
On Thursday, police detectives allegedly found images of child pornography when they reviewed Bantov's cellphone. Rodriguez alleged one of the images was of Bantov performing a lascivious act with one of the minors he was with at the restaurant. Police then issued an arrest warrant for Bantov for alleged child molestation and possession of child pornography.
On Thursday evening, police searched Bantov's home on 30th Avenue in San Francisco. He was arrested and booked again in the Solano County Jail, Rodriguez said. Bantov was not in custody Tuesday, according to the jail booking log.
Police searched electronic devices seized from Bantov's home and allegedly found additional images of child pornography, Rodriguez said.
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Anyone with information about other victims of abuse are asked to contact Detective Craig Long at (707) 648-4514.
