Man Accused Of Assaulting Minor; More Victims Sought In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Authorities are looking for additional victims of a man with an alleged history of approaching underage girls in Hollywood, who now stands accused of sexually assaulting a minor. Markell Rowland, 25, was arrested Nov. 5 and charged two days later with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and one count each of oral copulation of a person under 18, making criminal threats and assault with intent to commit a felony. He is being held in lieu of $225,000 bail while awaiting a Jan. 22 preliminary hearing. Los Angeles Police Department detectives allege that Rowland -- who also goes by the names Markel Southall and "Kel" -- approaches underage girls to ask for their social media user names or reaches out online. They urged anyone with information about Rowland to call Operations West Bureau Detective Lesley Perkins at 213-473-0447 or Crime Stoppers at 800- 222-TIPS (8477) or at www.lacrimestoppers.org. —City News Service