Full Notification

High-risk sex offender parolee at large Valentino Rodriguez Jr. was taken into custody by East Los Angeles Sheriff's Station deputies this morning at about 8:30AM, thanks to the efforts of a KTLA-TV 5 reporter and cameraman.

At about 8:15AM, KTLA-TV 5 Reporter Eric Spillman was at the East Los Angeles apartment building of Valentino Rodriguez Jr., a registered sex offender parolee at large. Eric Spillman was covering the story by interviewing neighbors of the parolee at large, when KTLA cameraman Vic Anastasia saw a man watching them. They both looked at Rodriguez, recognized him as the suspect, and started interviewing him live on KTLA-TV 5.

Quoting the suspect from the KTLA-TV 5 story:

"...I was paranoid and I basically got scared..."


Press office sheriff's deputies with the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau saw it live on KTLA-TV 5 and immediately called East Los Angeles Sheriff's Station. Deputies were dispatched to the scene and arrested the suspect without incident, live on KTLA-TV 5.

"It doesn't happen every day that the news media finds and interviews a wanted person live on TV. We called KTLA-TV 5's Eric Spillman and thanked him and Vic Anastasia for their professionalism and for making this happen," said Captain Mike Parker, Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.


The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and other local policing agencies routinely provide press releases to the news media on matters of public interest. This includes via emails and via Nixle emails and text alerts. On October 27, information about this offender and his photo were Nixled to KTLA-TV 5, other news media, and over 20,000 members of the general public who are already FREE Nixle subscribers to the "LASD-Headquarters Newsroom." Members of the public can register to receive free messages at www.Nixle.com It was also posted as a Headline Story on www.lasd.org , the official website of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.



To see the LASD Nixle message sent on October 27, visit:

https://local.nixle.com/alert/3889886/?sub_id=80899.



To watch the KTLA-TV 5 broadcast

[Note: This link is provided for your convenience. The LASD does not endorse advertised products]

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-sex-offenders-search,0,3365694.story


To see the posting on the LASD website, visit www.lasd.org


REGISTERING TO GET FREE EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES DIRECTLY FROM THE LASD VIA NIXLE.
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CRIMESTOPPERS - ANONYMOUS AND CONFIDENTIAL

If You See Something, Say Something! Anyone with information about a local crime is encouraged to contact your local sheriff's station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you can call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the web site http://lacrimestoppers.org.




Captain Mike Parker

Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

(323) 267-4800

www.lasd.org




Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff