Sexual Battery Investigation

Santa Monica Police Department
July 26, 2012

http://santamonicapd.org/Content.aspx?id=33410

The Santa Monica Police Department is currently investigating an allegation of sexual battery against Rafael Venegas, a priest at St. Anne’s Church located at 2017 Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica.

The victim, who is an adult female and not a parishioner of St. Anne’s, contacted the Santa Monica Police Department on July 1, 2012 and reported that the incident involving Venegas occurred on the property of St. Anne’s Parish in September 2011. The allegations remain under investigation and no arrests have been made at this time.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective DeRyck at (310) 458-8944, Sergeant Jacob at (310) 458-8460 or the Santa Monica Police Department (24hours) at (310) 458-8495.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME (1-800-78-27463), or submit the tip online at www.wetip.com. You will remain completely anonymous and may be eligible for a reward, up to $1,000.00, if your information leads to an arrest and conviction.

Anonymous tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by either calling (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting the Crime Stoppers website at www.lacrimestoppers.org. To text an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers, please view their webpage for detailed instructions. If the information leads to an arrest, the tipster is eligible to receive a reward up to $1, 000.00.