Behind the Badge
The woman thought he was a cop or security guard and got into his car because she thought she was being “arrested.”
Instead, last Wednesday just before midnight after leaving the In-Cahoots nightclub, the woman was bound, driven to another area of the city and then sexually assaulted, the Fullerton PD said in a news release Thursday.
The FPD believes there may be more victims of suspect Nelson Mauricio Lunaty Garcia, 32, who was arrested this week, and is asking them to come forward.
According to the news release, the victim was approached by Garcia and got into what she believed was an undercover police car late Sept. 2.
Garcia drove her around Fullerton until he stopped in the Skyline area of the city. He then told her if she cooperated he would release her. Then he sexually assaulted the woman, according to the news release.
The victim did not initially contact the PD.
But on Wednesday night, Sept. 9, the victim’s friends returned to In-Cahoots to contact club management after the victim told them what happened.
They saw a vehicle matching the description that the victim had given them.
Fullerton Police were later called and began an investigation that led to the arrest of Garcia on suspicion of kidnapping and sexual assault.
During a search of Garcia’s vehicle, police found a loaded firearm.
“Based on our investigation, we believe there may potentially be additional victims,” the FPD said in the news release.
Anyone with any information about Garcia or this incident is urged to contact Detective M. Magliano of the Fullerton Police Department at (714) 738-6753. Those wishing to provide information anonymously can call the Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1(855) TIP-OCCS or to their website at www.occrimestoppers.org.
