A Santa Ana man accused of sexually assaulting a roommate was arrested on Sunday, October 25, after police learned he was also wanted on a warrant from Tustin for separate child-related sex crime allegations.
The Santa Ana Police Department said officers were sent at about 3:30 a.m. to a home in the 2000 block of South Lowell Street after a report of a sexual assault. Investigators determined that 38-year-old Jaime Marin, who lived in an accessory dwelling unit behind the main house, allegedly entered a roommate's bedroom without permission and assaulted her.
Police said the investigation then showed that Marin had an outstanding Tustin warrant. It involves allegations of lewd acts with a child, distribution of pornography and child endangerment. Marin was arrested and booked into the Santa Ana Jail. Investigators said the victim was given care, resources and support services.
As of the original report, prosecutors had not announced what charges would be filed over the Santa Ana incident. Those will depend on the evidence collected by investigators and on decisions by the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
If prosecutors pursue felony charges involving an adult victim, Marin could face counts such as rape, sexual penetration by force or other felony sex crimes under California law. Convictions for serious sexual assault offenses often bring prison terms measured in years and can require lifetime sex offender registration.
The Tustin warrant adds to his potential legal exposure. California Penal Code section 288, known as lewd acts with a child, is among the state's most severely punished sex offenses involving minors. Depending on the age of the alleged victim and the circumstances, a conviction can lead to a lengthy prison sentence, registration requirements and sentence enhancements. Child endangerment and pornography-related offenses can carry separate felony penalties, and sentences for multiple convictions may run consecutively. If convicted on multiple felony counts, Marin could face decades in prison. The accusations remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Santa Ana's own Uniform Crime Reporting data recorded 248 rape and sexual assault offenses in 2025, down from 355 the year before, though still one of the highest totals in Orange County. Larger cities generally report the most such offenses because of their populations, and those most commonly cited include Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach and Orange. The case also highlights the vulnerability that can arise when victims and suspects share living spaces.
The report also addressed whether the property owner could face civil liability. An arrest alone does not create it, but claims could arise if evidence showed the owner knew, or reasonably should have known, that a resident posed a foreseeable danger and failed to act. There is currently no public evidence that the owner knew about the alleged conduct or the warrant, which would make liability difficult to establish.
The case now goes to prosecutors, who will review the Santa Ana evidence along with the separate Tustin allegations. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Santa Ana Police Department.
