A registered sex offender has been charged with multiple sexual assaults on six women in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, an area already grappling with a rise in luxury home burglaries, according to authorities.
Damian Denzel Robinson, 29, voluntarily turned himself in at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lancaster Station on Wednesday and is now in custody.
Robinson is facing accusations related to at least six attacks that occurred on April 19, with investigators alleging he targeted his victims—some of whom were older—over several hours. The police’s concerns come as they note an overall increase in crime within the San Fernando Valley, including organized home robberies in affluent neighborhoods like Sherman Oaks and Studio City, despite heightened patrols and a task force being implemented.
Authorities reported that robbers have been swiftly hitting homes, stealing valuables, while incidents like theft of commercial copper wire indicate a more daring criminal operation. While these property crimes are troubling, Robinson’s alleged actions represent a more intimate and violent threat, specifically targeting women in public places during daylight—such as grocery stores and bathrooms.
The series of assaults began just after 9:10 a.m. at a store near Devonshire Street and Balboa Boulevard, where an elderly woman was approached, subdued, and assaulted before the suspect fled on foot. Less than an hour later, another woman managed to fend off an attempted attack near Forbes and Callahan streets, confronting the suspect directly.
By 10 a.m., a third victim reported being grabbed from behind near Lassen and Encino streets, an act apparently recorded on the suspect’s cell phone. The assaults continued throughout the late morning and into the afternoon, including incidents at various grocery stores, where, at one point, the suspect reportedly pulled down a victim’s clothing while recording.
In a particularly unsettling event, a woman inside a restroom at a retail store noticed she was being filmed from beneath a stall at around 3:20 p.m. In both instances, the suspect managed to escape before law enforcement arrived.
Surveillance footage has been helpful in identifying Robinson, who already has a history of indecent assault and lewd conduct and is required to register as a sex offender.
Robinson, described as approximately 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, a white T-shirt, tan pants, blue and white Nike shoes, and glasses. It’s unclear what prompted his decision to turn himself in.
Authorities are still investigating this case and urge anyone who may have further information or possible victims to come forward. The investigation continues.
If you have any information or believe you might be a victim, please contact Devonshire Regional Sexual Assault Investigator II Daniel Tumbleson at 818-832-3247.
