H.B. man convicted of raping girl

A Huntington Beach man was found guilty Friday of sexually assaulting a developmentally disabled 7-year-old girl.

Daniel Vlas Flores, 30, was convicted of kidnapping to commit a sexual offense, sexual intercourse, sodomy and sexual penetration of a child 10 years old or younger, according to the Orange County district attorney's office.

He faces a maximum of 72 years in prison.

Flores approached the girl as she played with her 8-year-old neighbor and friend on Aug. 19, 2009, at the yard of the apartment complex in the 7800 block of Sycamore Avenue.

While the babysitter wasn't looking, he told the girls he needed to move furniture in his nearby apartment and wanted the girl to help him with the task.

Though she refused, he pulled her by the hand and walked her to his apartment.

He then raped, sodomized and digitally penetrated the girl inside his apartment, prosecutors said.

When the girl didn't return, her 8-year-old friend walked up to Flores' apartment and was able to slightly open a sliding door, which helped her escape.

She told her mom of the sexual assault, and Flores was arrested the same day by the Huntington Beach Police Department.

Flores is scheduled for sentencing June 6 in the West Justice Center in Westminster and faces a maximum sentence of 72 years to life in state prison.

mona.shadia@latimes.com

Twitter: @MonaShadia