After months of complaints and reports of a man following women around in Belmont Heights and Bluff Park, police say they’ve arrested a suspect on Thursday, but they need more victims to come forward.
Police arrested 42-year-old Hery Martinez-Paredez at his home in Long Beach on suspicion of indecent exposure. He is being held in the Long Beach jail on a $200,000 bail.
Police say that at about 7:30 a.m. on June 27, 2019, Martinez-Paredez parked his silver Toyota Corolla near a woman who was walking her dogs near Orizaba Avenue and First Street. While still in his car, he made eye contact with her and exposed himself while masturbating, they said.
When the woman later filed a police report, investigators identified the suspect and the City Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant for his arrest, police said.
“Detectives believe Martinez-Paredez frequently drove in the area of Orizaba Avenue and 1st Street during the months of June through December 2019,” police said. “… The Department has received several reports from other individuals who believe he was following them with the intention of exposing himself.”
Police believe Martinez-Paredez drove a silver Toyota Corolla with a California license plate number of 5MHS956.
At a community meeting in January, police officials told residents that they were aware of Martinez-Paredez, were trying to build a case of stalking against him and were trying to locate the police report for the June masturbating incident.
Police are asking anyone whom the suspect exposed himself to or was followed by the suspect to contact the sex crimes detail at 562-570-7368. Anonymous tips can be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.