Riverside sex offender charged with June sex assaults
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Authorities yesterday announced the arrest of a registered sex offender, accused in the sexual assaults and attempted rapes of two women in Riverside last June.
The victims in both cases managed to fight their way free from their alleged attacker and were later able to provide detailed information and descriptions of the suspect that ultimately led to the arrest of Ricardo Cabrera, 27, of Riverside.
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City of Riverside police officers began searching for Cabrera, who is currently on probation with ankle bracelet monitoring and required to register as a sex offender, after the two attacks; which were reported on Sunday, June 7, and Saturday, June 27.
Officers responded to the first incident around 6 p.m., after a woman was attacked while standing outside and waiting to enter a Trader Joe’s in the Riverside Plaza shopping center, according to RPD officials.
Officers had previously reported that the woman first became aware of Cabrera after she noticed him standing very closely behind her.
“Feeling he was standing much too close, she asked him to back away,” explained officials; who said, “The man backed up momentarily but then moved up and began rubbing his groin area against her backside.”
When the woman’s husband, who was waiting for the victim while sitting in a nearby parked car, became aware of what was happening “a physical confrontation ensued,” described officials.
Although Cabrera managed to get away from the husband and flee the area in his vehicle after the struggle, responding officers discovered evidence to the assault was left behind when he fled the scene.
Both the victim and her husband were later able to provide officers with detailed descriptions of the woman’s attacker.
Riverside PD says Ricardo Cabrera was arrested after their investigations into two June sexual assaults led them to identifying the registered sex offender as being responsible for the attacks. RPD images
As the first investigation was continuing later that month, officers were notified that a second assault involving a jogger had occurred in the area of Riverwalk Parkway and Flat Rock Dr., in the city’s La Sierra neighborhood.
Responding officers learned that around 8:15 p.m., a woman was jogging when she was tackled from behind by an adult male who then climbed on top of her and began sexually assaulting her.
When the victim began struggling and screaming for help the man placed his hand over her mouth, but the woman fought back according to officials; who said, “She continued to punch, kick, and even bite him until he got off her and ran away.”
The victim later described seeing a dark-colored vehicle possibly following behind her while she was jogging.
During that subsequent investigation officers located and obtained video evidence that was captured from a nearby camera.
The victim was later able to provide a detailed description of her attacker, which led to a suspect sketch that was then disseminated to all area patrol officers.
Based on the circumstances Riverside PD’s Sexual Assault / Child Abuse Unit began assisting with the investigation and officials were eventually able to identify Cabrera and his vehicle and soon connected him to both sexual assaults.
Based on the information and leads developed during their investigation, on Friday, Aug. 6, members of the Department’s METRO (SWAT) Team and the United States Marshals Service taskforce located and safely apprehended Cabrera.
Online Jail records indicate he was located and arrested on Lilac St. in Bloomington.
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Cabrera was later booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of assault with the intent to commit rape, sexual assault, and violation of probation.
He remains in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail or bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside’s Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 10.
“The fact these victims were still able to give us detailed descriptions of the suspect and vehicle is a testament to the courage they showed during these terrible crimes,” said Sergeant Rick Wheeler of the SACA Unit. “Our focus now turns to not only their healing, but also seeing that the suspect is held responsible for the crimes he committed.”
Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation of who believes they were victimized by the alleged suspect and has not yet come forward is urged to immediately contact Detective Casey Reid at (951) 353-7120 or by email, or Detective Janet Ramos at (951) 826-8719 or by email. Those wishing to remain anonymous can email [email protected] or utilize the Riverside Police Department’s mobile app “Submit a Tip” feature while referencing report number 200016760.
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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.
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