A 21-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a girl after arranging to meet her in a Riverside park may have targeted other victims, prompting police Wednesday to ask anyone with information to come forward.
Anthony Eduardo Lozano is charged with three counts each of aggravated sexual assault of a minor and contacting an underage person to perpetrate a sexual offense, two counts of lewd acts on a child and one count each of arranging to meet a minor for illicit purposes, attempted use of a child to produce obscene matter and possession of child pornography.
Lozano pleaded not guilty during an arraignment earlier this month, after which Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gary Polk scheduled a felony settlement conference for Oct. 15 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The defendant is being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
Riverside police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback alleged that in April, Lozano communicated with a 12-year-old Los Angeles girl, possibly via social media, and persuaded her to meet him in Riverside, arranging a ride share service to retrieve the girl at her residence and transport her to Rutland Park.
“The suspect met the victim and sexually abused her,” Railsback said, without disclosing specific details.
The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, returned home and reported the alleged attack to Los Angeles police, culminating in a months-long investigation that was ultimately turned over to the Riverside Police Department’s Sexual Assault Child Abuse unit, according to Railsback.
Detectives compiled sufficient evidence to obtain and serve an arrest warrant on Lozano in August, when he was taken into custody without incident at his home on Randolph Street.
SACA detectives uncovered evidence that Lozano likely communicated with other young girls, who possibly fell victim to him, Railsback alleged. Police are urging anyone with information about the case to contact the investigative team at 951-353-7950.
The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.