Homeless man arrested after girl sexually assaulted on bus 3 times

A homeless man accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on a Metro bus three times in the San Fernando Valley has been arrested, sheriff’s officials said.

Majdeddin Nahvi faces five misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and two counts of annoying or molesting a child, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

The girl said she was assaulted three times from Aug. 27 through Sept. 30, the sheriff’s department said. Nahvi boarded the bus, sat next to the girl and touched her after partially covering himself with a sweater, authorities said.

The girl did not report the first two alleged assaults because she believed she would never see the man again, according to the sheriff’s department. After the third alleged assault, she took a photo of him after he exited the bus and reported it to authorities.

The assaults occurred between 1 and 3 p.m. -- one on a Monday and two on Tuesdays -- on the Metro bus route No. 761 near Van Nuys Boulevard between Vanowen Street and Burbank Boulevard, the sheriff’s department said.

A crime bulletin was distributed with the photo taken by the girl, and Nahvi, of Canoga Park, was located on Tuesday and later identified by the victim, according to the sheriff’s department.

Nahvi is due in court on Oct. 17. Bail was set at $100,000.

Meanwhile, authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying any other possible victims. Anyone with additional information was asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at (562) 946-7960 or (877) 710-5273, or by email, Specialvictims@lasd.org. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling (800) 222-8477.

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Twitter: @Sam_Schaefer

Samantha.Schaefer@latimes.com