Crime & Safety

'Red Car Flasher' Suspect Held on Suspicion of Lewd Conduct

He is suspected of exposing himself to at least 11 people, including teenage girls, since 2011.

A North Hills man believed to be the "Red Car Flasher" was in custody Monday on suspicion of lewd conduct and similar crimes in the San Fernando Valley, police said.

He is suspected of exposing himself to at least 11 people, including teenage girls, since 2011, according to the Daily News.

Luis Bucio-Cedeno, 24, is charged with 19 counts, including indecent exposure, child annoying, lewd conduct, and sexual battery, according to the LAPD. 

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His bail was set at $110,000, but a no-bail federal immigration hold was obtained due to Bucio-Cedeno’s immigration status. 

“This was truly a team effort among detectives and police officers across three San Fernando Valley police divisions,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Mission Detective Division.  “After two years, dozens of sightings, several composite sketches, we got a break in February when a female jogger wrote down a license plate for the van of a man who had exposed himself to her.”

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Bucio-Cedeno was arrested Friday, Lt. Vernon said.

The suspect got the nickname because in one incident, an 18-year-old woman was walking near Woodman Avenue and Lassen Street when a naked man jumped out the open door of a red car.

Detectives believe there could be dozens of victims, Lt. Vernon said.

“We’re sure now that Bucio-Cedeno is our Red-Car Flasher,” Lt. Vernon said.  “We think he’s responsible for far more cases than we’ve been able to make, and what’s worse, this case has shown us there are many more of these types of suspects than we ever realized.”

-- City News Service Contributed to this report.


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