Registered Sex Offender, Arrested In String Of NoHo Assaults, Out On Bail
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A registered sex offender was arrested in a string of sexual assaults in North Hollywood, but is currently out on bail, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Investigators said Irvine Perez, 30, prowled the campuses of Roy Romer Middle School and East Valley High School, where he inappropriately touched girls and women between the ages of 15 and 27.
Detectives said Perez, whose GPS monitoring device was removed in May, attacked at least eight times between June and October.
The suspect would typically wear a hooded sweatshirt and would sneak up on his victims from behind.
In two of the cases, authorities said, the victims were walking through an alley when Perez assaulted them while driving his SUV.
"He slowly pulls up behind them and grabs their buttocks," Los Angeles police Det. Martin Pinner said.
Perez was taken into custody after a witness took down the license plate number on his vehicle.
Perez's neighbors were surprised when they were told he was facing nearly a dozen felony counts related to sexual assault.
"I knew the guy personally and that's just really surprising," Jon Wulfekuehler said.
Wulfekuehler also said Perez attends the Art Institute of California—Hollywood.
"He would cook meals, and I'd hang out with his roommates and stuff. Just hearing that ... that's just crazy," he said.
Investigators are trying to determine if there are more alleged victims.
