Long Beach Police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting an elderly woman in her Bluff Heights home, the department announced Saturday night.

Police said the man told the woman on Thursday morning that he knew her son before entering her home in the area of Third Street and Temple Avenue and sexually assaulting her. He then fled in a dark blue or green 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan.

On Saturday, Police arrested Kevin Parks, a 42-year-old Long Beach resident in connection with the assault.

Using witnesses and surveillance footage, officers canvassed the area and eventually made caught up with Parks late Friday night as he was getting into his vehicle in the 1300 block of Magnolia Avenue, police said. Detectives also found a firearm during his arrest.

He was booked on multiple counts including rape by force and felon in possession of a firearm. His bail has been set at $1,000,000, police said.

“The exploitation of our most vulnerable community members is abhorrent,” said Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish. “While I remain troubled and saddened by this reprehensible act, I am thankful for the employees of the Long Beach Police Department and the numerous hours they spent working nonstop to identify and promptly arrest this suspect.”

 

Jason Ruiz covers City Hall and politics for the Long Beach Post. Reach him at [email protected] or @JasonRuiz_LB on Twitter.