Campus News
Community Alert: Lewd act reported on campus
The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is asking the community to call 911 if they see on campus an individual suspected of committing a lewd act.
Update: Shortly after the community alert was emailed, UCSC PD received a call reporting Lavella outside of Classroom 1. He was contacted by officers and taken into custody without incident. UCSC PD wants to thank the tipster for the support and assistance.
The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is asking the community to call 911 if they see on campus an individual suspected of committing a lewd act.
Officers responded at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22 to a report by a staff member who found a young man performing a lewd act in the utility room of the Classroom 1 Building, which was unoccupied. The man, later identified as nonaffiliate Carlos Lavalle, fled the scene before officers arrived.
Lavalle is described as a young man in his early 20s who is about 5-feet, 7-inches, 120 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone who sees Lavalle on campus is encouraged to call the campus police department at 911.
Lavalle has received several no-trespass orders in the past including one that remains valid. He was previously arrested by UCSC PD in October of 2025 for a violation of California Penal Code 314 with similar circumstances as in this instance.
The campus community is encouraged to be extra attentive to their surroundings.
The Safe Rides program provides students with a secure and reliable means of transit from one location to another on campus. It ensures the safety of students who feel endangered or unsafe during night hours. Student operators staff Safe Ride, which is available from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m
Additionally, 42 blue light phones across campus connect callers directly with the campus police department with location information delivered when the call is made.
Anyone fearing for their safety should not hesitate to call 911.