Undercover cops arrested Jose Alfredo Gradilla-Cuevas Tuesday night for slapping a woman's butt near Cal State Fullerton before running away.
Fullerton police stepped up surveillance of the 21-year-old La Habra man after at least seven reported sexual assaults occurred since August, including two incidents last month that prompted an anti-rape culture protest on campus.
Sergeant Kathryn Hamel told the Orange County Register that the majority of victims are CSUF students. The accused serial groper is suspected of those crimes as well as others far from the college.
]
Detectives saw Gradilla-Cuevas driving a car that matched one identified in security camera footage following a previously reported sexual assault. Cal State Fullerton University Police assisted in the investigation.
For weeks, undercover cops watched him stalk potential victims in Fullerton, Placentia and La Habra. On Tuesday night Gradilla-Cuevas parked his ride, preyed upon a woman walking alone and slapped her behind. Police cuffed him as he tried to run away.
Believing there to be more victims out there, Fullerton police are urging people with any information to contact Detective C. Wright of the Fullerton Police Department Family Crimes Unit at (714) 738-6754.
“All of the incidents allegedly occurred between August 2014 and February 2015 during the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.,” a press release from Fullerton police reads. “In each case, the suspect approached the female victims from behind and sexually battered them by grabbing [a] private part of their bodies. The suspect would then immediately flee the area.”
As always, anonymous tips are welcomed by calling the Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1(855) TIP-OCCS or by visiting their website at www.crimestoppers.org.
Follow Gabriel San Román on Twitter @gsanroman2
Follow OC Weekly on Twitter@ocweekly or on Facebook!
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!