Lakeview Terrace Man Is Found Guilty of Assaulting, Robbing Teen in Jail Cell

A Lakeview Terrace man was convicted Wednesday of sodomizing and robbing a 19-year-old Sylmar man after the two were placed in the same cell at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill station last year.

Webster Lucas, 30, who had been arrested for attempted robbery in Pacoima about three hours before the jail cell attack, was found guilty by a jury in San Fernando Superior Court of two counts of forcible sodomy and one count each of robbery and forcible oral copulation.

The jury, which deliberated for three hours, also found Lucas guilty of attempted robbery for trying to steal a purse in the Pacoima incident.

Lucas, who Wednesday admitted to two prior felony arrests, faces a maximum term of 30 years and six months in state prison when he appears for sentencing on April 18, Deputy Dist. Atty. Kenneth Loveman said.

Cries Muffled With Pillow

The victim, who is serving a six-month sentence for joy riding, testified that he was attacked shortly after a jailer put Lucas and another prisoner in the cell with him. He said Lucas muffled his cries with a pillow. The robbery charge arose from Lucas’ taking change from the young man.

Loveman said it is rare for victims to press charges in jailhouse attacks because the victims risk retaliation if they testify.

“I do not believe it is reported anywhere near as often as it happens,” he said. “He is intimidated, and he has to go through the same kind of problems a female rape victim goes through.”

The victim’s attorney, John Marlette, said the victim is seeking damages from the city.

Marlette said the victim also will seek damages from the Sheriff’s Department in a second, more recent, attack on him by Lucas.

Sheriff’s deputies placed them together when they were waiting to be transported to the San Fernando courthouse for Lucas’ trial, and Lucas beat the young man, Marlette said.

No charge has been filed in that alleged attack.