Sex assault suspect surrenders

Neda Sarrami, Staff Writer

After a three week long search by the FHDA police department, former De Anza student Alexander Sargsyan, who allegedly sexually assaulted a De Anza College student in late January, turned himself in to Santa Clara County Jail on March 17.

The female victim was on her way to her last class of the day on Jan. 28 when she was approached and attacked near the Planetarium by a male student. She went to the campus police station and reported the incident, confirming that she would be able to identify her assailant if she saw him again.

De Anza students were notified of the attack through an emergency email the night of Jan. 28.

The investigating officer, Manny Respicio, interviewed several De Anza students who had suspicious experiences with a man similar in appearance to the assailant.

The other students reported to police that a man similar to the described suspect (dark hair, a cut above the lip, and hazel eyes) told them that he had made a bet with his cousin that he could get a girl to kiss him for one minute, according to the supplement case report provided by the FHDA police department.

A male De Anza student told police that he was approached a day after the assault by a man who he said smelled like smoke and had a bad body odor. The man asked him if he had any female friends who “might make out with him for a minute.”

The victim told police that a man had approached her around 3:30 p.m. and told her he had “made a bet with his cousin that he could kiss a girl for a full minute and record it on his phone.” She said the man asked her if she would kiss him, she told him “he would have to find someone else,” according to the report.

For weeks, frequent interviews were set up between the police and the victim, trying to identify the attacker through pictures of possible suspects. On Feb. 26, the victim positively identified her attacker, according to the arrest report.

Respicio attempted to contact Sargsyan, the alleged assailant, at his recorded residence in Sunnyvale. He made contact with Sargsyan’s mother at the front door. She confirmed that her son currently lived at the residence, but said he had left for San Diego to visit friends. She said she did not know when Sargsyan would return.

Sargsyan’s criminal defense attorney, Nicholas Cvietkovich, who had two years ago represented Sargsyan on a theft case that was dismissed, contacted police in early March. He told them his client had told him the victim had “agreed to kiss him at the time of the incident,” according to the police report. The attorney refused to allow the investigating officer to interview his client.

The victim had told police that after she punched her attacker in the throat, he ran away.

Sargsyan was released the same day he turned himself in after posting $10,000 in bail. Sargsyan is scheduled to appear in Palo Alto Superior Court on April 30.