ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A former Garden Grove police officer was charged with multiple felonies after he was accused of carrying on a sexual relationship with a teenage "police explorer," county prosecutors said Wednesday.
Riverside resident Roberto Machuca, 32, was charged with three felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor more than three years younger than him, one felony count of sexual penetration by a foreign object with a minor, and one felony count of oral copulation with a minor.
He faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison, and would be required to register as a sex offender if convicted on all charges, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Machuca worked for the Garden Grove Police Department as a police officer from 2018 to 2026 and is a former advisor for the department's Explorer Program.
According to the Garden Grove Police Department's website, the Explorer Program provides people between the ages of 14 and 21 an opportunity to volunteer at the police department and learn about law enforcement careers.
County prosecutors accused Machaca of having an "inappropriate" relationship with a 16-year-old girl in the program. According to prosecutors, he had several sexual encounters with the teenager starting in May 2026.
Machuca turned himself in on July 28 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
He is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing at the Stephen K. Tamura West Justice Center in Westminster on Aug. 4.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Orange County Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.