Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators are asking the public for help finding more possible victims of a 35-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting and robbing another man he met through an online dating platform. The alleged attack happened Aug. 1 in the 1200 block of Hartview Avenue in the unincorporated Valinda area near Industry, and investigators say they believe additional people may have encountered the suspect, Junior Romero Carbajal.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the victim had met and befriended Carbajal on an online dating platform before the two arranged to meet in person. Once together, Carbajal allegedly sexually assaulted the man and stole several of his personal belongings. The outlet reports Carbajal was arrested two days after the alleged attack, which would place his arrest on Aug. 3 — a date that matches a separate account from mynewsla.com, which likewise states plainly that “Carbajal was arrested on Aug. 3.” However, KTLA offers a conflicting account, reporting investigators arrested him Sept. 3, “just over a month after the incident was reported.” The two reports do not agree on the exact timeline, and the discrepancy remains unresolved.
Court records were not available to clarify which date is accurate. What is consistent across the coverage is the scope of the case against Carbajal: he faces six felony counts, including sexual assault, burglary, robbery, criminal threats and grand theft, along with two misdemeanor counts tied to drug offenses, per the reporting cited above.
Investigators Worried About Other Potential Victims
Sheriff's investigators believe there may be other possible victims who have encountered Carbajal, according to the same mynewsla.com report. That concern is the driving reason authorities released a photograph of Carbajal this week, hoping someone who recognizes him will come forward. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Special Victims Bureau shared the image specifically in the hope that additional victims may come forward, KTLA's coverage notes.
Carbajal is described as Hispanic, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing approximately 210 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Investigators have urged anyone with relevant information to come forward, whether or not they believe their account is connected to the Aug. 1 incident on Hartview Avenue near Industry.
How To Reach Investigators
Authorities have asked that anyone with information contact the Special Victims Bureau sergeant overseeing the case at 562-946-7989, or call the toll-free tip line at 877-710-5273. Tips can also be submitted by email to [email protected]. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can instead contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
Reporting on the sergeant's name has varied between outlets, with one report spelling it Yamanski and another spelling it Yamasaki, and the discrepancy has not been independently resolved. No additional case numbers, hearing dates, or formal charging documents were available in connection with the investigation at this time.
