MAN SUSPECTED IN SONOMA VALLEY ASSAULTS

The arrest of a Sonoma Valley man suspected of a recent sexual assault outside a grocery store expanded an investigation into other sexual assaults in the valley, Sonoma County sheriff's officials said Friday.

Detectives suspect Samuel Johnson Lyons, 36, of several sexual assaults involving young women in the past year.

The women had reported being groped while they were in public places, Sgt. Cecile Focha said.

Lyons was arrested Tuesday night after a woman was groped while getting into her car earlier that night at a Safeway parking lot in Sonoma, Focha said.

The woman and a witness described the man and his car. Lyons was stopped as he was returning to his home, Focha said.

Investigators seized some unidentified items during a search of his home, Focha said, declining to release details.

Lyons remained in custody Friday in lieu of $200,000 bail. He has been arraigned on two felony charges of lewd conduct with a child and three misdemeanor charges of sexual battery, according to jail records.

For the past several months, detectives have been investigating a series of sexual assaults in the valley.

Other victims now have identified Lyons as their attacker, Focha said.

Detectives sent a sketch of Lyons to other law enforcement agencies in the area to see if he could be a suspect in any other cases.

Focha asked anyone with information about the crimes or the suspect to contact detectives at 565-2185.

You can reach Staff Writer

Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.