Police seeking witnesses who saw Glendale man sexually abuse 13-year-old boy
Glendale police are searching for anyone who may have witnessed the sexual assault of a 13-year-old boy in late-August.
The incident is said to have occurred on Aug. 31, when the boy and his family were ordering at the "Yum Yum Donuts" shop located on W. Glenoaks Boulevard. The suspect, whom police have since identified as 31-year-old Glendale resident Farid Lalezarzadeh, allegedly "walked behind the victim and pinched him on the buttocks," before using a hand sanitizer station located at the counter.
"As he walks up, he's gonna use hand sanitizer as a ruse to get close to the kid, cause the kid happens to be standing next to the sanitizer pump, with his left hand he appears to grope or pinch the child's butt. Then you see the child react," said Glendale PD's Victor Jackson.
Another patron witnessed the incident and stepped in between Lalezarzadeh and the boy. He and his friend confronted Lalezarzadeh, who immediately left the property.
Glendale Police Department officers were able to locate the suspect at a later time and arrest him for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old. He has since been released on bail.
"This type of thing can't go without prosecution," Jackson said. "The family deserves justice and I think everyone can understand why."
Police are now looking for the two patrons who confronted Lalezarzadeh before he fled from the scene.
"We are looking for the two males that stepped in to protect the child. Their witness statements are crucial to the successful prosecution of the suspect," police said in a statement released to the public.
They're also searching for any other potential victims of the suspect, as they believe he may have done something of this sort in the past.
The donut shop owner, who denied appearing on camera since she knows the family as they regularly visit her shop, said she recognized the suspect as he had also shopped at her store before, but had never run into any problems.
Glendale Police Department ask any witnesses to contact them at (818) 548-4911.
