An illegal alien has allegedly raped two Southern California women in as many days, yet officials have not yet clarified whether the suspect faces an immigration detainer as a result.
At around 10 p.m. on Monday, deputies arrested Eduardo Sarabia, a 40-year-old Mexican national reportedly in the U.S. illegally, after he was caught inside a white 2015 Ford Transit van parked along a remote stretch of Highway 39 near Azusa, about 20 miles east of L.A., as Blaze News previously reported.
Neither the bulletin nor the press release from the DA’s office mentioned Sarabia’s immigration status or a possible immigration detainer.
A 26-year-old woman was also allegedly found inside the van, which deputies described as a “rape dungeon on wheels” and “disgustingly outfitted for rape.” Through their investigations, deputies discovered that Sarabia had allegedly sexually assaulted another woman in the same van parked at about the same spot just 24 hours earlier.
The “outfitted” van and other evidence have convinced investigators that Sarabia likely assaulted other women as well. “Based on the nature of the allegations, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims,” said a bulletin about Sarabia’s arrest from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
“I want to emphasize that this is an ongoing investigation, and there may be additional victims who have yet to come forward,” added a statement from Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. “I urge anyone who has been affected by similar incidents to contact law enforcement and seek available resources.”
The bulletin from the sheriff’s office described the suspect as “Hispanic,” but neither the bulletin nor the press release from the DA’s office mentioned Sarabia’s immigration status or a possible immigration detainer.
Sarabia, who has been called a suspected “serial rapist,” was arrested and charged with one count of forcible rape and one count of forcible oral copulation, both felonies. If convicted, he would face life in prison. He remains in custody without bail and has an arraignment hearing scheduled for June 27.
“As District Attorney, it is my solemn duty to pursue justice for victims of violent crimes, especially those involving sexual assault,” Gascón’s statement added. “The horrific and violent sexual assault that these two survivors endured by the alleged suspect is deeply troubling and incomprehensible. Our thoughts are with the victims during this tremendously difficult time.”
Blaze News reached out to the ICE field office in Los Angeles to find out whether an immigration detainer has been assessed against Sarabia, but the agency did not respond to our call.
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