Investigators are trying to track down a man described as a “person of interest” in a reported sexual assault on Del Mar Beach at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Two men are believed to have assaulted two women on the beach May 26 at approximately 3:55 p.m., according to San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).
The two victims were at the beach when they met a group of men, consumed some alcohol and got separated, according to Brian Platt, NCIS Assistant Special Agent in Charge.
The women were in separate locations at the time the sexual assaults occurred.
Platt would not give the ages of the victims but said they were not members of the military and gained access to the area through a visitor center.
Crimestoppers is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man captured on surveillance camera who was with the two suspects shortly before the incident.
The person of interest has not been named but has been described as in his mid 20s with a military style haircut, dark brown eyes, and a tattoo on his left shoulder, investigators said.
The man in the image is simply wanted for questioning, Platt said. It is not known if he's a civilian or member of the military.
"Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton has thousands of military members on it," he said. "If civilians are able to go through the registration or sponsorship process, that's also a large suspect pool."
Anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspects or the person of interest is asked to call NCIS at (760) 725-7854 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest in this case.
