Personnel from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lakewood Station have arrested a suspect who was wanted in two separate sexual assault cases in the Cities of Lakewood and Bellflower. The arrest was made Saturday, September 1, 2018, at approximately 3:40 p.m., in the City of Bellflower.
Detectives from Special Victims Bureau are actively investigating both sexual assaults. The first incident occurred Friday, August 31, 2018, at approximately 10:00 am, on the 9200 block of Palm Street in the city of Bellflower. A 29 year-old female was walking home when the suspect approached her from behind. The suspect attacked the victim, sexually assaulted her, and took the victim’s cell phone before fleeing the scene.
The second incident took place at Lakewood High School on Friday, August 31, 2018, at approximately 12:30 pm. The female juvenile victim was using the restroom when she was sexually assaulted by the suspect. The suspect fled the scene when a school employee entered the bathroom.
Suspect Joshua Cooper, male Black 19 years-old, was booked at Lakewood Station for Assault with Intent to Commit Rape, Robbery, and Attempt Rape. His bail is currently set at $220,000 and scheduled for court on Wednesday, September 5, 2018 in the Bellflower Courthouse.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at (877) 710-5273 or by email at [email protected]. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP or “P3 Mobile” for the hearing impaired on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
