Anthony Eduardo Lozano was sentenced Thursday to 20 years and eight months in state prison after admitting one count of unlawful intercourse with a minor and two counts of forcible lewd acts on a child under a plea agreement. Prosecutors dismissed 14 other charges under the agreement, according to Daily News and MyNewsLA.com.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gary Polk approved the negotiated terms and imposed the sentence during a hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice, the outlets reported. The case involved a 12-year-old girl from Los Angeles who, according to the reports, had been in contact with Lozano through social media in April 2024.
Police account of the meeting
According to police, Lozano arranged for the girl to travel by rideshare from her Los Angeles home to Riverside's Rutland Park, where he met her and sexually abused her. The account was included in the sentencing coverage by Daily News. She later returned home and reported the incident to Los Angeles police.
The investigation began with Los Angeles police and was later handled by the Riverside Police Department’s Sexual Assault-Child Abuse Unit, according to the same reporting. Riverside detectives obtained an arrest warrant and took Lozano into custody at his Randolph Street home in August 2024, as reported by MyNewsLA.com.
Resources for families
According to the Riverside Police Department, its survivor and victim resources page connects people affected by sexual assault and child abuse with support and related reporting resources. City police records say the department's Sexual Assault / Child Abuse Unit investigates allegations of physical and sexual abuse of children.
Possible additional victims
Authorities said the investigation also produced evidence that Lozano might have communicated with other young girls. Patch reported that investigators believed additional victims might exist, but the supplied record does not show separate charges or convictions arising from those concerns. Riverside police asked possible victims and others with information to contact Detective Jimmy Chen, according to KTLA.
