On May 12, between 9:30 p.m.
and 10 p.m., authorities claim that Eduardo Sarabia, a 40-year-old man, picked up two women in his white van and drove them to the Angeles National Forest.
This disturbing event unfolded on both May 12 and May 13.
During the first alleged incident, Sarabia allegedly took one of the victims to a secluded area within the forest, where he is said to have raped her.
The next day, he apparently picked up a second victim and brought her to the same location, subjecting her to a sexual assault, according to the district attorney’s office.
One woman managed to escape from the van in a remote area of the San Gabriel Mountains during the alleged incident on May 12.
This led deputies to arrest Sarabia.
Sources informed FOX 11 that the suspect would typically pick up his victims at the El Monte train station.
The white Ford van believed to have been used in these incidents is now in sheriff’s possession.
A spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department declined to confirm Sarabia’s residency to The Epoch Times, citing legal restrictions.
A request for the information from the district attorney’s office was not returned by their deadline.
Sarabia was arrested on May 13 by the sheriff’s department and is currently being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles without bail, according to inmate records.
His arraignment is scheduled for June 27 at the Pomona Courthouse.
If convicted, Sarabia faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in a state prison.
District Attorney George Gascón expressed his deep concern and disbelief over the horrifying events that took place in a press release on Thursday: “The horrific and violent sexual assault that these two survivors endured by the alleged suspect is deeply troubling and incomprehensible.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detectives continue to investigate this case, urging any other potential victims to come forward and contact them.