Glendora Registered Sex Offender Accused of Making Obscene Phone Calls

COVINA (CNS) - A man accused of making a series of obscene phone calls to a local business that offered athletic activities for children in Covina was tracked to a motel where he was arrested, authorities said today.

Paul Cricks, 48, a sex offender registered with the Glendora Police Department, was located at a motel in neighboring West Covina and arrested Wednesday, Sgt. Ray Marquez of the Covina Police Department said.

When the obscene calls were made on March 16, the woman who received the calls said she feared for her safety. She said the calls were very graphic and sexual in nature.

The calls had been placed from a "blocked number," Marquez said. Marquez said that detectives were not releasing the name or location of the business, which he described as sort of a gymnasium for children. Cricks did not explain why he called the particular business. There was "no apparent connection'' between Cricks and the business, Marquez said.

Covina police detectives said they were able to track the blocked phone number to Cricks' registered address, but that family members there said he no longer lived there. Sex offenders are required by law to register where they are living.

Detectives then learned that Cricks was moving from motel to motel throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties, authorities said. Crick is at the Los Angeles County Inmate Reception Center on charges of making criminal threats, annoying and harassing phone calls and a narcotic- related arrest warrant out of San Bernardino County. He is being held on $50,000 bail.