Blythe Man Suspected of Luring Kids to Be Freed, Albeit Briefly

A 73-year-old man suspected of trying to lure children into his car near schools was set to be released from jail late Monday, but he’s expected to be back in custody as early as Tuesday.

Jeff Hsieh of Blythe was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Riverside County jail in Indio, and authorities had until the end of the court day Monday to file criminal charges or set him free.

Sheriff’s investigators provided their reports to county prosecutors, but too late for charges to be filed today, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

“Because he was not arraigned on the last day he is entitled to be arraigned, he will be released from custody sometime (Monday),” Hall said this afternoon. “He will then be re-arrested and we will complete our review and will be filing the case with the court as early as Tuesday.”

Hsieh was taken into custody Thursday and booked on suspicion of two counts each of child annoyance, attempting to lure a child into a vehicle and stalking. He was arrested in the 18000 block of Maple Drive, in an unincorporated community near Blythe, sheriff’s Sgt. Julio Oseguera said.

The investigation dates back to May, when sheriff’s officials received reports that a man driving a white sedan tried to entice children into his car near a bus stop in the Palo Verde Valley, Oseguera said.

Authorities suspect Hsieh stopped his car near the bus stop on two separate occasions and tried to lure children into the vehicle. In both cases, the children ran away and reported the incidents, Oseguera said.

--City News Service, photo courtesy of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department