Sex Offender Fails to Contact Authorities
A three-time convicted sex offender released on parole in June has failed to report to his parole officer and to register with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division, authorities said Wednesday.
Charles “Chuck” Berton, 45, is considered a high-risk sex offender who “frequents schools, parks and fast-food establishments where children are present,” said Lt. Joseph Garcia, commanding detective at the Los Angeles Police Department.
Berton served time in prison for attacking “multiple victims” whom Garcia identified only as girls 5 to 12 years old and living in the cities of Glendale and Montrose.
“Safety of the public is paramount,” Garcia said at a news conference Wednesday at the Foothill Division station. “Parents should be aware of where their kids are at all times.”
Berton was first arrested in 1971 and over the years has had a variety of convictions for such crimes as prowling, indecent exposure and child molestation and burglary, said Norma Martinez, a supervisor with the Department of Corrections’ San Fernando Valley parole unit.
Berton has been on parole since June 22, 1995, Martinez said. Since then, she said, he has been in custody four times for parole violations.
Berton was released from prison on June 5 after serving time for his latest parole violation, Garcia said. Berton’s current parole conditions restrict him from having any contact with children, Garcia said.
A “parolee at large” arrest warrant has been issued, Garcia said, and criminal charges for failing to register as a sex offender are pending.
Berton was supposed to register with Foothill Division authorities, Garcia said, because his last known address was in the Sunland-Tujunga area. He has relatives and friends in the Sunland-Tujunga area and in Glendale, Garcia said.
Berton is white, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 155 pounds, Garcia said. He had a beard and mustache when he was released from prison, but he may be clean-shaven now.
Police are asking anyone with information about Berton’s whereabouts to call Det. Diane Webb at (818) 834-3115.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.