LA man accused of impersonating police officer, sexually assaulting woman in Long Beach

A Los Angeles man has been arrested by Long Beach police on suspicion of sexually assaulting and robbing a woman who they said did so while impersonating a police officer.

A 55-year-old man was taken into custody in Long Beach on Thursday, Jan. 4, 10 days after he is accused of attacking the woman as she walked to her car, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said Tuesday, Jan. 9, at a downtown Los Angeles press conference.

The suspect faces charges of attempted kidnapping to commit robbery or rape, sexual battery and second-degree robbery, according to court records. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 77 years to life in state prison, Gascón said.

On Dec. 27 at an undisclosed time and location in Long Beach, Lopez approached the woman as she walked to her car from a restaurant, officials said, displaying a badge while falsely identifying himself as a police officer and ordering the woman to open her car and sit in the passenger seat, Gascón said.

He then allegedly demanded her wallet, phone and purse, but when she tried to get up he allegedly displayed a handgun and committed the sexual assault under the guise of conducting a search, authorities said. Specifics of the assault were not disclosed.

He then allegedly tried to get the victim into his vehicle before a good Samaritan intervened and the suspect fled, Gascón said. The district attorney and Long Beach Deputy Chief Don Mauk asked the good Samaritan, a man, to come forward and speak with detectives.

During the investigation, Long Beach police learned that the suspect was accused of a similar incident in Los Angeles, Mauk said. For an unrelated case, he went to prison and was released in 2022, completing parole last year, Gascón said.

Police asked that anyone who believes he or she was a victim of the suspect to call them at 562-570-7368.