SANTA MONICA — City Of Long Beach Police detectives arrested David Leon Lopez, 34, on Thursday, August 19 for his involvement in several incidents of indecent exposure and lewd acts with minors. According to the Los Angeles City District Attorney’s Office, Lopez has been connected to incidents of indecent exposure in Long Beach, Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

The investigation into Lopez began in 2018 when Long Beach detectives received reports of indecent exposures in Long Beach. It was unknown to LBPD at the time that Lopez was the sole suspect in the reported incidents. Victim evidence consisting of photos and videos of Lopez were collected and additional information was obtained from social media leads. A sketch was comprised from eyewitnesses who witnessed Lopez masturbating in his vehicle around female teenagers.

During the preliminary actions of the investigation, Long Beach detectives comprised this sketch of Lopez.

When the sketch was released in 2018, Lopez was involved in three incidents involving  indecent exposure to female students as they walked near Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach.

  • The first incident occurred on February 6, 2018 at approximately 6:45 a.m. when Lopez was masturbating inside of a silver vehicle in the schools vicinity.
  • The second incident occurred on May 1, 2018 at approximately 6:00 p.m. when a female student was walking in the area of the high school when she witnessed a male white subject sitting in a gray vehicle masturbating.
  • The third incident occurred on May 9, 2018 at approximately 3:20 p.m. when a female student was walking home from school when the suspect followed her in his vehicle to expose himself.

In 2019, Lopez was connected to five additional cases of lewd exposure.

  • On October 1, 2019, officers were dispatched to the area of Wardlow Road and Golden Avenue in Long Beach for a report of a male adult sitting in his car while masturbating. The vehicle was gone upon officers’ arrival.
  • On October 1, 2019, two victims aged 17 and 21 years old were walking in the area of Harding Street and Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach when they reported a suspect in his vehicle masturbating while following them. The vehicle was not located by officers that day.
  • On May 25, 2020, officers were dispatched to the area of Spring Street and Studebaker Road in Long Beach regarding a suspect masturbating in his vehicle. The victim, a female adult, reported being outside her residence when the suspect drove up to her to expose himself.
  • On July 9, 2020, LBPD received a report of a suspect exposing himself in a vehicle while following a 15 year old in the area of Atherton Street and Palo Verde Avenue in Long Beach.
  • On August 2, 2020, a female adult walking in the area of Palo Verde Avenue and Spring Street reported being followed by a suspect matching the previous incidents’ description.

Lopez was charged on Monday, August 24 with five counts of indecent exposure, four counts of stalking and one count of contact with a minor for a sexual offense. If convicted as charged, the defendant faces up to seven years and six months in county jail. The defendant pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return on September 14, 2020 for a preliminary hearing at the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Long Beach Branch.