St. Joseph County man charged with 7 counts of child molesting

A St. Joseph County man is facing seven counts of child molesting for allegedly molesting an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy for the past year and a half, according to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office.

According to investigators, a parent was talking to her 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son about appropriate touching when her children told her they had both been molested by the same man, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The mother immediately called police.

Both children were forensically interviewed at the CASIE Center.

The 8-year-old girl told investigators she had sexual contact with Tony Arguello nearly every day between January 1, 2015 and May 17, 2016, according to the probable cause affidavit.

She also told investigators Arguello told her he loved her, wanted to marry her and that she would make a good mother.

The victim told investigators he gave her candy, a "night club" dress, high heeled shoes and gloves, reports said.

The 6-year-old boy told investigators he also had sexual contact with Arguello.

Investigators served a search warrant for Arguello's room and found a pair of girl's shoes with high heels, a large stash of candy and other corroborating evidence, according to the probable cause affidavit.

After Arguello was taken for an interview, he initially denied any sexual contact with either victim.

Eventually, he told police the victim came onto him and asked for sex. He then allegedly admitted to sexual contact with the female victim, reports said.
He told police the victim had been "throwing herself" at him since they met.

He also stated several of the neighborhood girls had come onto him, but he didn't do anything with them because he didn't want to make the female victim jealous, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Charges were filed against Arguello on May 25 and he was ordered not to have any contact with the victims.

Arguello is facing seven counts of child molesting, five involving the female victim and two involving the male victim.