Last Updated: 6/6/17 at 4:06 p.m.
Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau are investigating a sexual assault case in which at least six female victims were identified. After extensive review, detectives believe there may be additional victims and are hoping they will come forward.
During a press conference on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, Special Victims Bureau Lieutenant Todd Deeds and Sergeant Betty Lascano relayed the circumstances surrounding an investigation into a number of brutal sexual assaults reported in areas within the LASD patrol jurisdiction. Victims reported being lured to a dark-colored sedan by a male adult of Asian descent who promised them money or drugs. Information from these reports led detectives to see a pattern of methods and clarity in planning by a predatory suspect.
The suspect’s predilection to drive victims to motels for the purpose of having sex and, instead, holding them captive, and forcibly assaulting them sexually, was seen as the general mode of operation.
Special Victims Bureau investigators compared evidence and information provided by victims to similar crimes committed in surrounding police jurisdictions, and found they were connected, conducted by the same suspect as far back as the year 2012.
A victim identified the suspect as Jason Chung Chien Yu, 41, of Monrovia. He is alleged to have frequented areas in the San Gabriel Valley including the cities of El Monte, Monterey Park and Temple City, as well as the southern-Los Angeles city of Lynwood. Yu is described as 5’10” tall, 165 pounds in weight, with brown, balding hair, sometimes wearing glasses, and of Chinese descent.
Yu is suspected of committing multiple crimes against numerous victims over the course of several years. His spree ended on Wednesday, May 24, 2017, when he was arrested by Major Crimes Bureau detectives at his place of employment in Irwindale. He was booked at San Dimas Sheriff’s Station for multiple charges of Forcible Sodomy, and held in lieu of $1,370,000 bail.
On Friday, May 26, 2017, Yu was charged with multiple sexual assault related crimes including, Kidnapping to Commit a Sexual Assault and Forcible Sodomy. Yu was arraigned on Friday, June 2, 2017, at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, and is scheduled to return on Friday, June 16, 2017.
Detectives believe Yu victimized several women throughout Los Angeles County and are searching for any additional victims. If you are a victim or have information related to this investigation, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau on the toll free tip line (877) 710-5273 or email specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org.
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP, or “P3 Mobile” for the hearing impaired on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau is tasked with investigating the sexual and physical abuse of children and felonious sexual assaults involving adult victims. Anyone with information about this crime is requested to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-LASD (5273).
