The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) announced on Thursday morning that investigators were requesting the public’s help identifying additional victims in a case the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office is building against a convicted sex offender who is suspected in a case of sexual battery that took place in Santa Monica earlier this summer.
Last Friday, SMPD officers arrested a suspect, 29-year-old Anthony Barrett of Ohio, for an alleged sexual assault that took place at 4th Street and Colorado Boulevard one month earlier.
“On June 28, 2022, SMPD Officers responded [to] the area of 4th and Colorado to investigate a sexual assault in which the suspect grabbed a female’s buttocks then fled,” information provided by SMPD stated. “The suspect was later identified as Anthony Barrett a 29-year-old male originally from Ohio. On August 5, 2022, SMPD Officers arrested Barrett in the downtown area.” According to the SMPD press release, the City Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against Barrett on Aug. 9 alleging sexual battery and failure to register as a sex offender.
Barrett, of Ohio, is believed by police investigators to have been in Southern California since at least June of this year, primarily traveling between Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica.
SMPD Public Information Officer Rudy Flores said Barrett had previously been convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, a crime he committed in Ohio. The terms of that sex offense conviction state he must register as a sex offender within three days of moving to a new state, which Barrett failed to do when he relocated to California, Flores said.
According to LA County Sheriff’s Department records, Barrett, whose 30th birthday is on Sunday, is being held at Men’s Central Jail in Downtown LA on $40,000 bail, with his next court date scheduled for Aug. 23.
Other LASD records show Barrett was arrested in Santa Monica on June 29 and released with a citation.
Detective Brian Spencer (310.458.8420) and Sergeant Chad Goodwin (310.458.8931), both of the SMPD, have been assigned to the case and are requesting anyone who may have been involved in or witnessed an incident involving Barrett to contact them.
In addition, persons with information on this or other incidents involving Barrett may contact Crime Stoppers by calling or texting 800.222.TIPS or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org. Callers may qualify for a $1,000 reward for information.
