LAPD Arrests Sexual Assault Suspect Repeat Offender NR10405rf

August 19, 2010

Detectives Believe There May Be Additional Victims

Los Angeles:  On June 15,2010, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations West Bureau sexual assault investigators arrested 66-year-old Pacific Palisades resident Alan Wurtzel for a felony sexual assault crime, and detectives believe more victims may exist.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office ended up filing two counts of felony sexual assault crimes against Wurtzel, who was arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court and has been released on his own recognizance.  Wurtzel is a previously convicted sex offender for assaults on women he’d met through Internet personal ads. As recently as May of this year, he was contacting women using the online dating site Match.com under the screen name "a1an208." Through these contacts, he eventually met a woman he sexually assaulted in her home, which led to his current charges.

Due to Wurtzel’s history, detectives believe there could be other sexually assaulted women who have yet to come forward, and the LAPD is urging anyone able to identify or locate such victims to contact Officer Justin Malcuit of the LAPD Operations West Bureau Sexual Assault Detail at 213-473-0404 or by email at 36275@lapd.lacity.org.  During off-hours and weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.