A Mountain View barber who is suspected of sexually assaulting more than 60 people before fleeing the U.S. has been extradited from Guatemala and is in Santa Clara County Jail.
Franklin Enrique Sarceno Orla, a former Mountain View resident, was taken into U.S. custody this week and is set to be arraigned on 43 sex assault felonies and related charges on Monday, according to a statement from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. If convicted, he faces life in prison.
The district attorney’s office has charged Sarceno Orla in connection with the suspected sexual assault of at least 19 local men, but officials believe he may have assaulted many more.
“Evidence indicates that Franklin Enrique Sarceno Orla, 35, may have drugged and assaulted more than 60 men, making him one of the most prolific sex criminals in recent South Bay history,” the district attorney’s office said.
Sarceno Orla was originally arrested last year on suspicion of sexually assaulting two men as well as kidnapping. In July 2024, a man reported to Mountain View police that he had woken up dizzy and injured after having drinks with the barber. Forensic tests later showed that the man had been sexually assaulted. A second individual also reported to police that he had lost consciousness while having beers with Sarceno Orla, the district attorney’s office said last year.
Sarceno Orla posted $250,000 bail shortly after his August 2024 arrest. According to the district attorney’s office, evidence indicates that Sarceno Orla continued to assault people after he was out of custody. Medical records show Sarceno Orla is HIV positive, the district attorney’s office said.
Many of the alleged assaults followed a similar pattern, with Sarceno Orla reportedly sharing drinks with men who would then pass out and wake up injured at his home. Many were unconscious during the assaults, but some had memories of what occurred, the district attorney’s office said. Police also seized evidence showing that the barber had videotaped many of the assaults.
Sarceno Orla ultimately fled to Guatemala. The district attorney’s office worked with federal, local and Guatemalan officials to secure his extradition, which took several months to be authorized, according to a statement from the Mountain View Police Department.
The barber was arrested by Guatemalan law enforcement, the district attorney’s office said. The U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Criminal Investigation Unit detained Sarceno Orla and facilitated his extradition with the U.S. Marshals Service.
“You can run but you can’t hide,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “This violent criminal thought that fleeing to Central America would protect him from facing justice for his violent attacks on so many people. We have never let time, resources, or international borders stop us from seeking justice.”
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The barber was arrested by Guatelalan law enforcement, the district attorney’s