Council to Discuss Reward in Assaults

SIMI VALLEY —  Councilman Paul Miller wants local businesses to contribute to a reward fund that aims to catch a serial rapist.

At its meeting tonight, the City Council plans to debate offering a reward for information leading to arrest and conviction in three rapes and five sexual assaults since June 1996.

Two weeks ago, Councilman Glen Becerra proposed the idea of spending city money on a reward, but now Miller wants service clubs, businesses and charitable organizations to contribute too. Whatever amount the council sets for the reward could be bolstered by such contributions, Miller said.

The city has never offered a reward in a criminal case, Miller said. An extra incentive for someone to come forward shows that “we’re serious about this,” he said.

Earlier this month the police said DNA evidence indicated that the same person was responsible for at least three of the attacks. Miller hopes the cash reward will encourage someone to help police capture the person responsible.

“It might be that one of this guy’s buddies might turn him in for the bucks,” he said.

The reward would be handled by the Crime Stoppers program, which offers cash awards of up to $1,000 for information leading to a suspect’s arrest. The Simi Valley reward would require a conviction before the money was paid.

The City Council meets at 6:30 tonight at City Hall, 2929 Tapo Canyon Road.