Man Allegedly Contacted Teen For Sex

Gardena - A man who allegedly tried to arrange a sexual encounter with a 12-year-old girl he met on the social networking site MySpace was in custody on Tuesday, police said.

Jesus Lopez, 25, was accused of contacting the girl "for the purposes of engaging in sex," according to Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast.

On Monday, police assumed the girl's online identity and arranged to meet Lopez in the parking lot behind a drugstore on Redondo Beach Boulevard in Gardena, Prendergast said.

When Lopez arrived at 11 p.m. police arrested him for "committing a lewd act on a child along with contacting and arranging a meeting with a minor for the purposes of engaging in lewd acts," according to Prendergast.

Police believe there may be other victims, and encouraged them to contact them at (310) 217-9607.