Police arrest child annoyance suspect

Seal Beach Police Department detectives arrested a 64-year-old Los Angeles man on on suspicion of child annoyance and contributing to the delinquency of a minor on Thursday, May 28. Child annoyance is behavior that is motivated by an unnatural interest in children.

The arrest stemmed from a May 24 incident in Seal Beach in which witnesses saw an older man and a teenage girl in a car.

The man has been identified as Michael Lux. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has filed charges against Lux. He is currently on Federal probation for robbery.  According to the police, Lux has a history of sexual assaults and rape.

On the afternoon of May 24, a citizen called the Seal Beach Police Department and reported a suspicious older man (later identified as Lux) and a teenage girl sitting in a car together.  Prior to officers arriving, the teenage girl got out of the car and Lux fled the area.  Witnesses told police that Lux approached the girl on the Seal Beach Pier and offered to give her a ride in his convertible.

The girl accompanied Lux to his car, where he reportedly offered her alcohol, displayed a large amount of cash and asked her to join him at his condominium.

Two citizens, who had been watching Lux and the girl, intervened and told her to get out of the car.

Lux became verbally confrontational with bystanders and fled before officers arrived on scene. Lux was positively identified after the incident in Seal Beach and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Thursday, May 28, Seal Beach Police detectives served the arrest warrant and Lux was taken into custody.

 “The folks who intervened in this incident acted heroically,” said Police Chief Joe Stilinovich. “They did the right thing by calling the police when they saw something suspicious.  They went above and beyond by intervening.  If that was your daughter, you would be grateful for their actions”.

The Seal Beach Police Department would like to remind all citizens to be vigilant about sexual predators.  More information about sexual predators can be obtained through the California Department of Justice – Megan’s Law web page at http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/

Detectives are seeking additional witnesses or victims. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Chris Hendrix at 562-799-4100, ext. 1109.