A man in Southern California who the authorities say led a shamanistic community in Riverside County was arraigned last week on charges that he sexually assaulted two female victims, including at least one who was under 14.
The man, Ricardo I. Flores, also known as Koyote the Blind, faces eight felony charges, including rape by force and aggravated sexual assault, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The authorities said the acts occurred from 2012 to 2023. If convicted, Mr. Flores could face up to life in prison.
Mr. Flores, 59, who is being held in jail without bail, was arrested on Aug. 7 as he re-entered the country after a visit to Mexico, according to the Riverside County Sheriff. In a news release, the sheriff’s office said that some of the alleged crimes took place at an address that matched the location of Xicoco Shamanic Arts, an organization led by Mr. Flores in the city of Moreno Valley, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles.
The authorities said they believed there could be more victims and encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
Mr. Flores was arraigned on Aug. 9 in Riverside Superior Court. His next scheduled court appearance, on Aug. 23, will be a continuation of the arraignment, according to a statement from Riverside Superior Court.
A spokesman for the Riverside District Attorney’s Office said in an emailed statement that it did not comment on cases still under investigation or awaiting trial. The Riverside County Public Defenders Office, which is representing Mr. Flores, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Mr. Flores describes himself in online profiles as an exiled shaman — a person who claims to have access to spirits — originally from El Salvador. He also says he is an accomplished magician and yogi.
As Koyote the Blind, Mr. Flores has led a number of organizations and has written books and offered teachings revolving around esoteric spiritual ideas, according to his online biographies. Central to his teachings is a “healing system” and “ancient healing energy” called “Aka Dua.”
In various venues, Mr. Flores has also referred to teachings related to sex. On podcasts and blogs, he discusses his mastery of “Sexual Alchemy” and “Sex Magick.”
A bearded man who often appears in photos and videos in a bowler hat and colored beads, Mr. Flores has mainly resided in recent years on the grounds of Xicoco Shamanic Arts, a registered charitable organization.
In addition to appearing in YouTube videos and on podcasts, Mr. Flores has in recent years offered workshops and retreats at Xicoco that can cost participants thousands of dollars. According to social media posts, the activities sometimes involve dances around a large tent.
Xicoco’s website says it “hosts Sweat Lodges, Vision Quests, and a Medicine Wheel.”
Mr. Flores has promoted esoteric ideas for decades. His talks and books draw on a number of different thinkers and spiritual traditions, including magicians and mystics like Aleister Crowley and Carlos Castaneda. He also often invokes Indigenous groups like the Toltecs, a civilization that lived centuries ago in what is now Mexico.
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