Santa Rosa, Petaluma police search for suspects in two sexual assault incidents

Petaluma police are seeking a man in his 20s that they say touched and tried to lure into his vehicle a 15-year-old girl.|

Santa Rosa police Friday released the photo of a registered sex offender they believe inappropriately touched a 7-year-old girl, while Petaluma police are seeking a younger man that they say touched and tried to lure into his vehicle a 15-year-old girl.

Martin Vera, 51, a homeless resident, is suspected of touching a girl Thursday at an apartment complex on the 1400 block of Petaluma Hill Road in Santa Rosa, according to a police news release. The child was accosted after Vera came to her family’s apartment seeking food.

The girl started screaming when she was grabbed and another girl came to find her, at which time Vera released her and fled. In their investigation, patrol officers believed the description of the man matched Vera, and both the victim and witnesses later identified him from a group of photos.

Anyone spotting Vera is urged to call 911 or the department’s non-emergency number, 528-5222.

Also Thursday, a man in his 20s in Petaluma stopped his vehicle near a 15-year-old girl walking home from high school near North McDowell Blvd and Old Redwood Highway. While talking, the man inappropriately touched the girl and tried unsuccessfully to convince her to get inside his vehicle, according to a news release.

The man drove a white pickup, possibly a work truck, with orange and black writing on the length of both sides of the vehicle. He was described as Hispanic, 5 feet 8 inches, with short brown hair, no facial hair and a tattoo on his ride arm.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Petaluma Police Detective Patrick Gerke, 778-4372.

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