Two arrested on child sex crime charges, including current inmate in El Paso County Jail
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) says two Coloradoans have been arrested in connection with an ongoing child exploitation investigation, including a man who's currently serving time in the El Paso County Jail.
DCSO said detectives with its Special Victims Unit arrested 33-year-old Michael Palestino, a Castle Pines resident, on May 13.
Palestino is now facing the following felony charges:
- One count of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust (Class 3 felony)
- One count of sexual assault on a child (Class 4 felony)
- One count of sexual exploitation of a child (Class 3 felony)
- One count of sexual exploitation of a child (Class 4 felony)
The sheriff's office said Palestino is currently being held without bond at the El Paso County Jail on an unrelated matter, and he'll be transported to Douglas County for these charges at a later date.
DCSO said a subsequent investigation and evidence detectives uncovered led them to also identify and arrest 28-year-old Gianna Worley, a Centennial resident.
Worley was arrested on June 4 on the following felony charges:
- One count of sexual exploitation of a child (Class 3 felony)
- 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a child (Class 4 felony)
She was booked into the Douglas County Jail on a $100,000 bond, the sheriff's office said.
DCSO said this remains an active and ongoing investigation.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
