A 21-year-old Garden Grove man was scheduled to be arraigned Friday for sexually assaulting and committing lewd acts on a 2-year-old girl over a period of six months.
Joseph Michael Hishmeh was arrested Feb. 9 at his Garden Grove home by the OCCETF task force, which is comprised of several agencies, including the FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
He was later charged with one felony count of sexual penetration with a child 10 years or younger, five felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing substantial sexual conduct with a child, according to a news release from the FBI.
Hishmeh was accused of assaulting the girl in his home by touching her under her clothes with sexual intent and on one occasion digitally penetrating her, the release stated.
He was being held on $1 million bail.
If convicted as charged, Hishmeh faced a maximum sentence of 31 years to life in state prison.
OCCETF is comprised of members from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Orange County Sheriff’s Department; FBI; United States Postal Inspection Service and Newport Beach Police Department.