27-year-old man admits to assaulting and sexually harassing seniors in RivCo

MORENO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – A 27-year-old man who attacked two Moreno Valley senior citizens and attempted to sexually assault one of the women pleaded guilty Friday to assault with intent to rape and elder abuse.

Alex Lohany Soza admitted to the charges as part of a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, including a charge of inflicting great bodily injury on a person over 65, which carries a higher sentence. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop two related charges.

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The deal was announced as a preliminary hearing was about to begin at the Riverside Hall of Justice. Superior Court Judge Gary Polk did not immediately set a sentencing date, and no possible sentence was mentioned during the hearing.

Soza remains held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

According to sheriff’s investigator Jomar Vanderhoof, the first attack occurred shortly after midnight on July 5 at a residence in the 12,000 block of Perris Boulevard, where Soza appeared at the resident’s door and knocked until she opened it.

“When the victim opened the door, the suspect entered the house, began strangling her and knocked her to the ground,” Vanderhoof said.

The senior, identified in court documents only as “MM,” was able to break free from Soza’s grip and then fled, the sheriff’s spokesman said.

He said while patrol officers were investigating the attack, they received word that another senior citizen – “CP” – had been attacked nearly two miles away in the 24,000 block of Eucalyptus Avenue.

“The man approached the second victim and struck her in the head, causing her to fall to the ground,” Vanderhoof said. “(Soza) continued to assault the victim until a Good Samaritan distracted the suspect, who then fled. Evidence of a sexual assault was found at the scene.”

MM and CP were admitted to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley for treatment of moderate injuries, from which they have since recovered.

Vanderhoof said investigators soon developed clues pointing to Soza as the attacker in both cases, and within 24 hours an arrest warrant was obtained and served at his Fir Avenue apartment, where he was taken into custody without incident.

The defendant has no prior criminal convictions in Riverside County.