A 26-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting and robbing four women in Long Beach pleaded not guilty this week to nearly a dozen felony charges.
Isaiah Elijah Andino, of Long Beach, is being held without bail on four counts each of forcible oral copulation and second-degree robbery and three counts of kidnapping to commit robbery. He was ordered to return to court on Dec. 7, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
The criminal complaint alleges that the attacks occurred between July 5 and Oct. 16; that Andino personally used a handgun during the commission of the crimes; and that he has a January 2018 conviction from Orange County for robbery.
Andino was arrested Oct. 17 near Redondo Avenue and 11th Street in Long Beach.
His alleged victims “lived outside of Long Beach,” and range in age from 18 to 22, according to Long Beach police.
Investigators allege that Andino connected with three of the women online, set up meetings in residential areas and that once they were in his vehicle, drove them “to an alley, threatened them at gunpoint, and sexually assaulted them.”
“The suspect then fled in his vehicle, leaving the victims behind,” according to a police statement. “In a fourth incident, the suspect came into contact with the victim near a liquor store in the city of Inglewood near Manchester Boulevard and Inglewood Avenue. The suspect forced the victim into his vehicle at gunpoint, drove her to an alley in the city of Long Beach, sexually assaulted her and left her behind.”
According to police, three of the four attacks occurred in alleys: near Third Street and Mira Mar Avenue, near Fifth Street and Tremont Avenue, and near Third Street and Quincy Avenue.
The woman who was taken at gunpoint in Inglewood did not know the exact location of the assault, according to police, who responded to the area of Nieto Avenue and Colorado Street.
Detectives, who believe there may be additional victims, did not release a description of the suspect’s vehicle, citing the ongoing investigation.
Anyone wishing to report an assault should call Long Beach police at (562) 435-6711 or Sex Crime Detective Darlene Wigmore at (562) 570-7233. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS or at lacrimestoppers.org.
