Man lured women off college campus and sexually assaulted them, California cops say

A man has been taken into custody after reports of students being targeted for sexual assault on a California college campus, according to authorities.

A 27-year-old suspect was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from Santa Monica College Police Department on the SMC campus Monday, Sept. 26, officials said in a news release.

The suspect would befriend women on campus, lure them off campus to “hang out” and then sexually assault them, according to KTLA. He was meeting his victims near picnic tables south of Drescher Hall on SMC’s campus, according to campus investigators.

“These types of things remind you that even though these people are really friendly to you, that you never know when you’re going to encounter someone like this, it’s up to you to get back to reality again. It makes me feel really uncomfortable and makes me want to be very cautious with my surroundings from now on,” SMC student Andrea Giraldo told The Corsair.

The suspect was transported to South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station with a bail of $1,000,000, officials said. He faces felony sexual assault charges.

The incidents are currently under investigation. Authorities did not say how many assaults or victims were involved in the case.

“We strive to be one of the safest colleges in California and that the alleged actions of this arrested individual are not indicative of the behavior or conduct of those in our community,” Santa Monica College Police Department said in their statement.

If you have any information about the incidents SMCPD asks you to call Sergeant Belen Lemus of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau at 562-946-7012.

If you have experienced sexual assault and need someone to talk to, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support at 1-800-656-4673 or visit the hotline's online chatroom.

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