Results tagged “sexualassault”

LAPD detectives have released photos of 22-year-old Keith Nichols, a South Los Angeles man they believe has committed "at least four sexual battery assaults against young women while posing as a Vibe Magazine photographer," according to a press release.

After an attempted sexual assault on a young women this week, detectives quickly arrested a suspect and released his photo to the public, believing more teenaged women were victimized by the same man. It was just past 1 a.m. on Monday when a female, possibly a minor, was walking on Melrose Avenue near Alta Vista Boulevard. Police say Christopher Webb, 22, walked up, engaging her in conversation. He then allegedly pulled her into an alley where he attempted to rape her, but numerous calls to police prompted a swift response by police, whose lights and sirens spooked Webb.

After lending aid to a man who claimed to have just been attacked by gang members, she was sexually assaulted and carjacked by the man she was helping. It began Sunday night in Burbank when an 18-year-old woman was approached by the suspect who said he needed to get out of the area after just being "jumped" by four gangmembers.

On April 1, 2009, at about 4:30 p.m., a 12-year-old girl was walking into an apartment complex on the 8500 block of Balboa Boulevard. As she neared the entrance gate in a small alcove of the complex, she was grabbed from behind by the suspect who sexually assaulted her. After the assault the suspect walked away. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man, 30 to 40-years of age, 5 ft. 6 in. tall with a thin build. With the help of the victim a Department Composite Sketch Artist was able to draw a likeness of the suspect. To Help: Devonshire Area Detectives are asking anyone with information about this crime to contact Detective Rene January at (818) 832-0609. During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “Crimes” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Of the 5,123 back logged untested rape kits, a majority--3,800--of them have been closed "because detectives arrested someone, prosecutors refused to pursue the case, or police could not determine that a crime had been committed," the LAPD announced yesterday, per the LA Times. However, around 400 of those untested could lead to suspects.

Perhaps not fingering, per se, but Miguel Martinez Rivera of the LAPD is a "high-ranking fingerprint expert" who "has been charged with sexually assaulting one of his tenants in a South Los Angeles apartment," reports cbs2.com. "Rivera is charged with four felony counts, including assault with the intent to rape. If convicted, faces up to nine years in prison." He is accused of having "accosted the 26-year-old woman earlier this month," and was arrested this Wednesday while at work "at the department's Scientific Investigations Division." Rivera was "released on $175,000 bail and placed on administrative leave." It's been a streak of bad news of late for the finger print experts who work for the LAPD; recently uncovered errors on their part have led to 945 cases coming under review.

The LAPD will be releasing a composite sketch later today of a taxi cab driver that they say "targets lone females and is responsible for at least 5 sexual assaults." There have been a series of sexual assaults that occurred between August and December of last year. This is reminiscent of a two-part CSI:NY episode where the serial killer taxi driver would trap people in his car and take them away.

The LAPD has released images of this man who they say sexually assaulted one 13-year-old and another teenager earlier this month. In both cases, he fondled the women over their clothes, possibly touching their genitalia while attempting to take off their clothes. Fortunately, both victims were able to escape.

He sexually assaulted seven young girls and women (the youngest was 14), some of them who were lured to Los Angeles with promises of jobs and rooms at luxury hotel rooms. Today, a jury in Los Angeles who deliberated for almost two weeks found 34-year-old Anand Jon Alexander guilty for 20 of the 23 counts he was charged with, which included forcible rape and committing a lewd act upon a child, according to the Associated Press. Alexander is most well known for his appearance on "America's Next Top Model" and for working with celebs such as Paril Hilton. In addition to his Beverly Hills escapades, he is under indictment in New York and is under investigation in Texas and Massachusetts.

A man in an unmarked police car allegedly pulled a woman over in Palmdale Saturday night and began to grope her when he was frisking her. "The victim said she fought with the man and was able to break free, run back to her car and drive away," CBS2 reported. "Authorities are looking for a man in his 30s, about 5 feet 10 inches and 185 pounds who was driving a dark colored Ford, possibly a Crown Victoria, with spotlights and a forward flashing blue light."

Although everyone can agree that it's unacceptable to have a backlog of 7,000 rape-kits over at the LAPD, the reality is resources, as in money. Who is to blame? Well, the politicians are at odds over that one, though in the end, there are a lot of factors from councilmembers, past and present, mayors and the LAPD. In the meantime, the Daily News looks into the sometimes long process to analyze just one rape-kit. It's never like a one-hour TV show:

Nearly 7,000 rape-kits sit on LAPD freezer shelves awaiting testing with at least 217 of those past the statute of limitations, rendering them useless even if a rapist is identified by the DNA collected. "It is beyond disturbing that the thousands of victims who have undergone the invasive ordeal of these 4-6 hour tests do not even know that their evidence is still untested" wrote City Controller Laura Chick in an audit of the police department's rape-kit testing program. "One of the audit's findings calls out a Penal Code provision that requires the LAPD to make this notification to victims; the LAPD does not do that now." The 25-page report can be read here (.pdf).

After two attacks nearly 24 hours apart from each other early Friday and Saturday mornings, USC campus police and the LAPD are telling students to stay alert, walk in well-lit areas and in groups. Both attacks were off, but near campus involving female students.

Sleazeballs are still using that shtick of telling women that they could be models and if they take photos with him, he's got the connections to get them with the right industry people. Last week, the LAPD arrested Miguel Angel Barrera, 44, of Chino Hills, for doing just that and taking it one step further by sexually assaulting the women during the photo shoots. From an LAPD notice:

32-year-old Dionn Semaj Holton was taken into custody on Thursday at noon in relation to accusations by a 15-year-old male who claims he was sexual assaulted by him.

Producers and writers have been talking and numbers are starting to be released. Nothing's final yet, but this strike could be soon over. What does $9.3 million buy the LAPD? It will finish the job on a backlog of 6,700 of DNA testing for sexual assault cases. Les Deux Cafe, a club where celebiatches Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears hang out, was scene to a fight early this morning that led to...

It's hard to find a good Wookiee these days, so LAPD is looking for a naughty one. A Chewbacca impersonator allegedly sexually assaulted a Marilyn Monroe look-alike near Hollywood and Highland last month, though the crime was just reported yesterday. When authorities showed up to investigate, the suspect fled. Police are presumably looking for a man who is tall, dark, and hairy. There has been no comment from LA County Sheriff Lee Baca, who may...

One mile of walking in plastic high heels and here come the blisters (however, the height advantages are quite nice). To our female friends, we will walk as slow as you need when you are wearing high heels. In fact, high heels are not comfortable one bit, we do not recommend it anymore. Sandals are sexy (no uggs please). Today was the 6th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Men's March in Sherman...

The AP and local news are reporting that MTV star Don Vito, the bigass lazy-eyed uncle of skater/tool Bam Margera, is being held in Colorado without bond for sexual assault on a child. Vincent "Don Vito" Margera, the cartoonishly rotund 50 year-old co-star of "Viva La Bam", was at the Lakewood Mall Friday afternoon for a skateboarding event when he allegedly inappropriately touched a minor. One can only hope that this is just another...

Not to put a damper on things in Laker-Land (even though this LAist contributor has been setting up shop in Clipper-Ville the last two seasons) just before tip-off of the first close-out game with the Suns but Ernie Johnson talked about it briefly at halftime of the Heat-Bulls game and ESPN and others are reporting that starting center Kwame Brown is under investigation of sexual assault by the LAPD.

This morning two Duke lacrosse players were arrested in what will likely be the highest profile rape case the country has seen in decades. The fact that DNA tests did not lead to the two men — although other evidence did — will make it all the more controversial.

Seattlest saw a house party get senselessly attacked with a shotgun and end in seven dead. A local senator is debated and their version of the big dig is investigated. To truly get to the bottom of it they interview the writer Jonathan Raban.

Even their secondary announcers, guys like Jerry Doggett, Don Drysdale, Ross Porter, and Rick Monday, were all in the top-tier of baseball announcers. We all bemoaned the firing of Ross Porter, but that pill was made slightly easier to swallow when a quality announcer in Charley Steiner took his place.

Last week, Garden Grove Police arrested Danta Arnaud for sexual assault. Apparently, Arnaud, dressed in a white lab coat, entered the rooms of female patients at Garden Grove Hospital under the guise of drawing blood as a lab technician. During the visit, he engaged the patient in conversation and allegedly conducted physical examinations. Seven victims have identified him so far.

LAist feels Carroll handled the situation well. As USC's football coach, Pete Carroll cannot control everything his players do off-the-field, but if he's going to suspend one of his best players merely because he's under investigation, then perhaps other Trojans will think twice about putting themselves in stupid situations. After all, you don't want to miss an opportunity to impress the NFL scouts who now regularly frequent the Coliseum. As for Dennis, he says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that he didn't do anything. Apparently the district attorney agrees, so we can lay this case to rest.

While USC has enough talent to weather pretty much any loss, including Dennis, LAist is still concerned about off-the-field problems with Trojan football. Dennis could be the fifth Trojan arrested since winning the national championship. The most notable among the group was Winston Justice, who Carroll had the temerity to suspend for this season.