Suspicious social media messages leads to Merced man’s arrest on child molestation charges

A Merced man pleaded not guilty to multiple child sex abuse charges on Thursday in Merced County Superior Court.

Kaleb Levi Ralls, 21, faces charges of forcible oral copulation with a victim under 14 years old and three counts of committing a lewd act upon a child, all felonies. He faces up to 36 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

According to the police report, Ralls was accused of sexually assaulting a child under age 14 in a home in Merced earlier this month. The abuse went on for at least a week before a relative of the girl found messages from boys on her phone’s social media apps.

The girl’s mother tried to talk to her daughter about predators on social media, and then she told her mother about continuing sexual abuse from Ralls, the police report said.

The girls’ family called Merced police, and by the time police responded to their house, one of her relatives had pepper sprayed Ralls, according to the police report. He received medical attention at a nearby hospital.

He was then taken to the Merced Police Department where he confessed to police that he sexually assaulted the girl, according to the police report. He also told police that he “felt stupid” and that he thinks he should go to jail.

During court on Thursday, he waived his right to a speedy trial and Judge John Kirihara issued a protective order for the girl and her family.

Ralls’ next court date is scheduled for April 28 at 8:30 a.m.

This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 1:11 PM.