Young Girl Sexually Assaulted by Man in Bellflower; Authorities Seek Additional Victims

Young Girl Sexually Assaulted by Man in Bellflower; Authorities Seek Additional Victims

Feb 28, 2023

Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced Monday that they are seeking additional victims who may have been harmed by a suspect who is being charged with the sexual assault of a juvenile female.

The initial sexual assault occurred in Bellflower, California, on February 16.

Authorities say the suspect, 42-year-old Mario Luis Chavez, approached the victim in the 17600 block of Bellflower Boulevard at around 10 p.m. The young girl was reportedly standing in front of a convenience store when Chavez advanced and asked her where she was going.

Recent Sexual Assaults Reported Around Los Angeles

• Gray Whale Cove State Beach Sexual Assault
• Will Rogers State Beach Sexual Assault (Pacific Palisades)
• Attempted Rape in Kenneth Hahn Park
• Orange County Hiking Trail Sexual Assault of Teenager
• Encino Hiking Trail Sexual Assault at Knifepoint
• Santa Ana Mall Sexual Assault by ‘Dangerous Predator’
• Contact a Los Angeles Sexual Assault Attorney for a Free Consultation

“The suspect forcefully pushed her into his vehicle and drove away. The suspect then proceeded to sexually assault her while in the vehicle,” a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department press release indicated.

The physical description of Mario Luis Chavez, as provided by law enforcement officials, includes:

• Hispanic male
• Approximately 5 feet, 9 inches tall
• Weighing around 200 pounds
• Brown hair
• Brown eyes

Chavez also has a number of a tattoos, according to a report from ABC 7. Those various tattoos include:

• An “Aries” symbol on the suspect’s left forearm
• The letter “M” on the suspect’s right hand along with the words “Long Live Them”
• One tattoo on his face
• One tattoo on his left bicep

The suspect’s vehicle was identified by L.A. Sheriff’s Department investigators as a white 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx.

Suspect Arrested After Young Girl Sexually Assaulted in Bellflower; Police Seek More Victims

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department detectives are urging anyone who might have been victimized by Mario Luis Chavez to contact Detective Lizarraga of the Lakewood Station’s Detective Bureau at 562-623-3548. Additionally, anyone who might have further information related to a sexual assault or other type of crime committed by Chavez is encouraged to contact authorities immediately.

If you would like to remain anonymous, tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online via L.A. Crime Stoppers.

Recent Sexual Assaults Reported Around Los Angeles

Here in Los Angeles County and throughout Southern California, a number of recent incidents have occurred involving either women being sexually assaulted or attacked. In many of these incidents, the sexual assaults happened in public places.

1 * Gray Whale Cove State Beach Sexual Assault

A sexual assault occurred on February 11 at the Gray Whale Cove State Beach on the San Mateo County coast. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that the sexual assault took place at around 4 p.m. that day.

Investigators indicated that a woman was sexually assaulted on the stairwell leading to the beach.

The following physical description of the suspect was released by authorities:

• White adult male
• In his 30s
• Approximately 5 feet, 7 inches tall
• Slightly overweight with a “beer belly”
• Dark brown hair
• Medium-length brown beard

Additionally, when the Gray Whale Cove State Beach sexual assault occurred, the suspect was wearing:

• A dark navy-blue spandex style tight shirt
• Baggy cotton jogger pants
• No socks
• No shoes

The suspect was also carrying a black backpack at the time of the incident, according to law enforcement officials.

The investigation is reportedly ongoing, and officials are continuing to seek the public’s assistance in identifying the sexual assault suspect.

Anyone who may be able to identify the man, who witnessed the assault, or who can provide additional information leading to his arrest is urged to contact Detective Piper of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office at 650-599-1536 or by email at JPiper@smcgov.org.

2 * Will Rogers State Beach Sexual Assault (Pacific Palisades)

A man approached a woman around 6:30 p.m. on February 4 along the Will Rogers State Beach near the 15500 block of Pacific Coast Highway and Temescal Canyon Road, according to an LAPD news release. The suspect subsequently “made a statement of intent,” and placed his hand over the victim’s mouth while brandishing a boxcutter, ABC 7 confirmed.

The sexual assault survivor provided the following physical description of the man who attacked her:

• Latino
• 20 to 30 years old
• 5 feet, 7 inches tall
• 150 to 160 pounds
• Black hair
• Brown eyes
• Last seen wearing a navy blue zip-up jacket with dark pants and a tan hat

LAPD officials are urging anyone with information about the attempted sexual assault at Will Rogers State Beach to call Special Assault Detectives at 213-473-0447.

3 * Attempted Rape in Kenneth Hahn Park

Earlier this month, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) officials asked for the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect accused of sexually assaulting a women in broad daylight while she was walking in Culver City’s Kenneth Hahn Park.

The sexual assault took place at around 3:30 p.m. on December 22, 2022, near the 4100 block of La Cienega Boulevard. LASD authorities released a sketch of the sexual predator as well as the following description:

• Hispanic male
• Between the ages of 20 and 25
• Between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall
• Hazel eyes
• Medium build
• Light complexion with possible skin discoloration on the right side of his face

Fox 11 also confirmed that the attacker was wearing a black beanie, black hooded sweatshirt. and black jogger pants at the time of the alleged attempted rape in Kenneth Hahn Park.

4 * Orange County Hiking Trail Sexual Assault of Teenager

In January, an Irvine man sexually assaulted a teenager hiking along an Orange County trail. Larry Molina, 24, was accused of attacking and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on the Peters Canyon Trail near the State Route 261 toll road.

According to a CBS News report, Irvine Police Department officials responded to a sexual assault call on January 2 at around 6 p.m.

“The juvenile victim passed Molina while she was walking on the path and after she passed him, he grabbed her and sexually assaulted her,” CBS confirmed.

The teenager was eventually able to fight off Molina and proceeded to run to a nearby home where she contacted authorities. CBS said that LASD deputies canvassed the hiking trail and successfully located evidence near the crime scene which connected Molina to the sexual assault.

5 * Encino Hiking Trail Sexual Assault at Knifepoint

In November 2022, a woman was sexually assaulted at knifepoint by a predator while hiking in Encino. The incident occurred when the woman was hiking along a trail near Mulholland Drive. Los Angeles Police Department officials confirmed that the sexual assault happened somewhere between Tampa Avenue and Reseda Boulevard.

6 * Santa Ana Mall Sexual Assault by ‘Dangerous Predator’

In January, an Orange County man was arrested in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a woman at a Santa Ana mall parking lot.

Police said Santa Ana’s Quinnton Xavier Roberson, 28, kidnapped a 19-year-old woman who was shopping at the Main Place Mall in the 2800 block of N. Main Street. The suspect was described by investigators as a dangerous and violent “predator” with a history of similar incidents.

“Roberson has a prior arrest for a similar related incident in early 2022 in Orange County and has a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon,” according to a statement from the Santa Ana Police Department.

Contact a Los Angeles Sexual Assault Attorney for a Free Consultation

Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) Glendale, California, sexual assault attorneys are available 24/7 to discuss your case confidentially, for free, and without any obligation.

During your Los Angeles sexual assault lawyer consultation, dedicated DLG team members will review the facts of your case, discuss your legal rights and options, provide an overview on how long it may take to reach a financial settlement, and offer a general estimate for how much your claim may be worth.

DLG was founded by Sam Dordulian, a former sex crimes prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who successfully secured countless life sentences against some of our community’s most dangerous sexual predators.

Dordulian created DLG to be a different kind of full-service sex crimes firm offering survivors of sexual assault a 24/7 support network known as the SAJE Team (Sexual Assault Justice Experts).

Contact DLG’s top-rated and award-winning SAJE Team today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM to begin the process of securing justice and maximum financial compensation for your sexual assault claim.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

At DLG, we believe, support, and fight tirelessly for justice on behalf of sexual assault survivors. Our unique and all-encompassing services feature added resources in combination with the best legal representation available, including:

• Access to victim advocates
• Access to an in-house licensed clinical therapist
• Access to a dedicated private investigator who is also assigned to your case
• Access to a dedicated and proven team of sexual assault lawyers

Reach out to DLG today to secure the support and dedication of the SAJE Team by calling 866-GO-SEE-SAM.