GLENN COUNTY, Calif. – A Redding woman turned herself in to Glenn County officials on Tuesday following an investigation that resulted in her being charged with numerous counts relating to a sexual relationship she had with a teenager and exchanges of sexually explicit text messages with another juvenile male.
Laura Michelle Gallegos, 38, was booked into the Glenn County Jail in Willows on a warrant charging two counts of exhibiting lewd material to a minor, three counts of contacting a minor to commit lewd acts, two counts of arranging meetings with a minor to commit lewd acts, one count of oral copulation, and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor with a three year, or more, age difference. Bail was set at $110,000.
She is alleged to have become sexually involved with a 17-year-old male and to have taken part in “sexting” with a 15-year-old male, according to a report from Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones.
Jones' agency received a call from an Orland-area mother on April 11, with the woman reporting that she believed her 15-year-old son was receiving explicit text messages from an adult female and wished to speak with a deputy.
Deputy Jon Owens was dispatched to speak with the 34-year-old mother, who related her son was on the Orland High School wrestling team and they had just returned home from a tournament in Reno.
While at the tournament, the mother had the opportunity to view her son’s cell phone with a saved contact listed as “GF” with a phone number. Jone said that, by chance, a friend – a mother of another wrestler seated next to the reporting mother – had received a text message from the same number.
The number belonged to the mother of one of the wrestlers, Laura Gallegos. Jones said the 15-year-old's mother stated she knew Gallegos as a teacher’s aide at Shasta High School in Redding.
When she questioned her son he said he met Gallegos while at a wrestling event, and admitted they had been “sexting” each other, Jones reported.
At that time, a second possible victim, a 17-year-old from Orland who also was a member of the wrestling team, also was identified. A preliminary report was taken and the case was turned over to Detective Greg Felton of the Sheriff’s Major Crimes unit.
Authorities obtained search warrants for the cell phones alleged to be involved and conducted interviews, with Felton making trips to Redding, Jones said. At Shasta High School Felton was informed by the administration that Laura Gallegos had resigned from her position as a teacher’s aide. Copies of emails were obtained and retained as evidence.
The 17-year-old male of Orland High School admitted meeting Gallegos for the first time in Red Bluff at lunch time on or around March 11, and missing the last two periods of school. Sexual acts were completed inside a vehicle, Jones said.
School records at Orland showed the victim with two unexcused absences for the periods after lunch on that date, Jone said The victim also related the suspect had performed a sex act on him while seated in the stands at the wrestling finals in Bakersfield. He also admitted to an additional meeting for sex in Corning.
The Tehama County District Attorney’s Office was contacted and it was agreed Glenn County would assume jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in Tehama County, Jones said.
Upon completion of the investigation, the case was submitted to the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office and a complaint was issued, with Glenn County Superior Court Judge Peter Twede signing the arrest warrant.
After being booked into the jail on Tuesday Gallegos immediately posted bond and is to appear in the Orland branch of the Glenn County Superior Court on Sept. 21.
Jones commended what he called Det. Felton's “exemplary investigative work” on a complicated case that required much diligence and attention to detail.
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