Pedro Rodriguez-Mejia. Photo courtesy of SHPD.

Signal Hill police on Tuesday arrested Pedro Rodriguez-Mejia, 41, of Long Beach on suspicion of kidnapping and performing lewd acts on a boy, police said.

A patrol officer found Rodriguez-Mejia with the boy around 9 p.m. on Tuesday in a car near Signal Hill Elementary School, a news release said. The officer thought the vehicle was suspicious, and when speaking to the occupants, the officer said they “appeared nervous.”

The boy stated Rodriguez-Mejia was his neighbor and picked him up near 14th Street and Walnut Avenue in Long Beach, police said. The boy was not able to answer any other questions about the suspect.

Officers said Rodriguez-Mejia kidnapped the boy around 45 minutes before.

“Instead of driving the victim home as promised, they drove to the city of Signal Hill where Rodriguez-Mejia performed several lewd acts with the juvenile,” the release stated.

Rodriguez-Mejia’s bail was set for $100,000, which was posted Wednesday night. He is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 27.

The SHPD is asking for anyone with information regarding this incident or knowledge of other victims to contact them at 562-989-7200.

 

Valerie Osier is the Social Media & Newsletter Manager for the Long Beach Post. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @ValerieOsier