Sex Offender Sought in Series of Crimes Near Schools

Police are seeking a paroled sex offender they suspect is exposing himself to children at preschools and elementary schools on the Westside and in the South Bay.

Santa Monica police issued a felony arrest warrant for Randall Lee Wickham, 44, after an Oct. 16 incident at Roosevelt Elementary School, said Sgt. Frank Fabrega. On that day, a man sitting in a car parked near the school exposed himself to five girls.

Several girls later identified Wickham in photographs as the man, Fabrega said.

The day before, police suspect that Wickham was the man seen masturbating in his car at a Redondo Beach elementary school, said Redondo Beach police Sgt. Rick Petersen. He was apparently scared off when school staff members saw him sitting in a parked car near the campus, approached him and asked him to identify himself. The man drove away, Petersen said.

A few minutes later, a man matching Wickham’s description in a similar car drove into the parking lot of a nearby preschool, Petersen said. He drove away after school staff members approached the car and saw that the man was not wearing pants. A license plate number written down by school officials matched that of a car rented by Wickham, Petersen said.

Police also suspect Wickham in similar incidents in West Los Angeles, Westchester and Gardena.

“This guy is staying consistently busy and appearing at schools, and we’d like to catch him,” Fabrega said.

Two days after the Santa Monica incident, police faxed a description of the suspect to schools, Fabrega said. On Thursday, an updated flier with Wickham’s photograph also was sent, Fabrega said.

“This way they can post it at the school,” Fabrega said. “Parents may be additional eyes as they are taking their kids to schools.”

Authorities said Wickham is a convicted sex offender but would not release details of his criminal history. He is also being sought for an unrelated parole violation.

Wickham’s last known address is in Long Beach. He is white, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, and has blond hair and hazel eyes.

The rental car believed used in the incidents is described as a dark 1997 four-door Geo Metro with California license plate 3SFM724.