A suspect was arrested Saturday evening by Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives in the case involving multiple female victims with severe disabilites (Suspect #1).  A second suspect has been located in state prison (Suspect #4).

On Friday night, Los Angeles Police Department detectives notified sheriff’s detectives that they recognized two of the four suspects depicted in the photos and composites.

The man described as Suspect #4 in images previously provided by the sheriff’s department, has been identified as Bert Hicks, a 42-year old black male from Los Angeles who is currently incarcerated in Tehachapi State Prison.

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Hicks is serving a sentence for his convicting on charges of caretaker, lewd and lascivious acts on a dependent adult that occurred in the city of Los Angeles. The LAPD detective who handled that case recognized Hicks from the sheriff’s department images as soon as the detective saw them, and notified the LASD.   

The assault that resulted in Hicks’ arrest was not videotaped and he is not due for release until 2012. ase from prison until 2012.  LAPD and sheriff’s detectives are working together to compare the acts that Hicks is alleged to have committed on the videotape, against the acts for which he was convicted and currently incarcerated. This will assist in determining further charges against Hicks, if any.

The man described as Suspect #1 in images previously provided by the sheriff’s department, has been identified as Ernie Lloyd, a 27-year old Hispanic male who resides in the city of Los Angeles.  He was arrested at West Hollywoood Sheriff’s Station on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Suspect #1, now identified as Ernie Lloyd, was also recognized by an LAPD detective due to a case the LAPD had previously investigated in the city of Los Angeles.  Since Thursday night, LAPD and sheriff’s detectives have also worked together to further investigate this case.

On Saturday morning, Suspect Lloyd turned himself in at the Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles Police Department, saying he had seen himself on the news and that he knew he was wanted.  LAPD officers called sheriff’s detectives.

Later that day, Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives interviewed Suspect Lloyd at West Hollywood Sheriffs Station, where he implicated himself.

Lloyd was arrested by Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives for rape of a person with disabilities. He is being held in lieu of  $100,000 bail.

The investigation is still in its early stages but detectives believe that it occurred in 2007 or earlier, at a residential care facility in the city of Los Angeles, where both Suspect Lloyd and the female adult victim were living at that time.

Detectives have identified the 25-year old victim that Lloyd is alleged to have assaulted, but have not yet been able to locate her.  Neither she nor Lloyd still live at the residential care facility where the alleged assault occurred.  Sheriff’s detectives are working with investigators with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), and LAPD to locate the victim, assist her, and further investigate the assault.

Since information was first made public on Thursday, January 6, scores of tips have come in to the sheriff’s department hotline, as well as through regular communication sources. 

“The public is clearly shocked and disturbed by every aspect of this case,” said Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant Dan Scott.  “We have heard from many people who want to help, as well as from people who fear their loved ones may have been among the women abused.  The best thing we can do for everyone, especially the victims, is to diligently follow every lead, work to find and protect the victims, arrest the suspects, and somehow bring some justice to these profoundly disturbing crimes.”

“Thanks to detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department, two of the four suspects depicted have been identified,” said Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau Detective Sergeant Dan Scott.  “One suspect was already in prison, and now a second has been arrested.  Working together, we have also identified one of the victims and will not stop until we find her.”

“While progress has been made on this shocking case, there is much more to be done.  There are still two more suspects whose images have been shared who have not yet been identified, as well as four other suspects.  Of great importance to us as well, is that we need to find and help all of the victims.”

Investigators are seeking the public’s assistance. Please contact the Special Victims Bureau at their special toll free hotline at (866) 247-5877 or your local sheriff’s station, as soon as possible. For links to previous stories about this case, click here and here.

A special request comes from detectives to the anonymous person who sent in the video: “Please use Crimestoppers, a totally anonymous communication system, to contact us. We would very much like to ask you a few important questions about how these videos were acquired and where they came from. You have already been a great help by giving us the videos but we need more help to be able to find the victims. We are concerned they are still being abused and want to find them and ensure they are safe. “

Information can be provided anonymously, by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637) or by accessing the Crime Stoppers website at www.lacrimestoppers.org.