Long Beach police seek additional victims of man impersonating police officer and assaulting women

Long Beach police said Tuesday that they believe there may be additional victims of a man who impersonated a police officer to rob and attack his victims.  

During an afternoon news conference, District Attorney George Gascón announced charges against 55-year-old Martin Lopez, who was arrested last week for allegedly sexually battering and robbing a woman in Long Beach on Dec. 27, 2023.

Lopez allegedly confronted the woman as she was walking to her car and displayed a gold badge and identified himself as a police officer. He then ordered her to open her car door and sit in the car's passenger seat, according to Gascón.

The suspect demanded the woman's purse, wallet and phone and then sexually assaulted her. Gascón said the suspect drove away after a bystander intervened.

Fingerprints and the license plate number of the vehicle that drove off led to the arrest of Lopez, Gascón said.

Long Beach Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Don Mauk said on Jan. 4, detectives found the suspect driving in Long Beach and took him into custody.

After he was taken into custody, two search warrants were served leading detectives to find handcuffs and a fake badge.

Mauk said through a follow-up investigation, detectives identified a second victim in the city of Los Angeles and it is believed there are additional victims.

Police are also asking for the Good Samaritan to come forward so additional information can be gathered.

Gascón said that Lopez was charged with several felony offenses linked to the attack, and is being held on $2.4 million bail.

Anyone with additional information may call detectives at (562) 570-7368.

Prosecutors also announced charges against another sexual assault suspect, Charles Larry Matthews, on Tuesday. 

Matthews, a 55-year-old homeless man, was arrested after he allegedly sexually battered two women and a teenager over the course of three days in Long Beach. 

The first incident happened on Thursday at around 12:30 p.m. near Molino Avenue and Anaheim Street. Two days later, when investigators say that he had made his way to E. Broadway and Atlantic Avenue, where he sexually battered the teenage girl before another incident blocks away at E. Broadway and Alamitos Avenue. 

In response to these issues, Long Beach city leaders have announced a new plan to increase safety for residents, deploying 100 new police officers to help combat homelessness and address mental health.