COUNTY OFFERS REWARD FOR INFO ON SUSPECT.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The public's help is being sought - with a $10,000 reward for information resulting in a conviction - to find an ex-convict who authorities say attempted to rape his niece Monday afternoon in Canyon Country.

Marcus Fennell Pierce, 38, a registered sex offender, was released from prison Feb. 2 and moved into his sister's Canyon Country apartment. Monday afternoon, he forced the woman's 12-year-old daughter into a bedroom, beat her severely and attempted to rape her, said Sgt. Dan Scott of the sheriff's Special Victims Bureau.

``The victim was home alone, doing her homework, when the suspect came home. He got the girl into the bedroom by telling her she had a phone call,'' Scott said. ``He pushed her on the bed and locked the door and started punching and beating her around her face and body, attempting to remove her pants. She courageously fought back and never gave up, kicking and biting him.''

Scott said that Pierce then left the room for a moment, giving the victim a chance to lock the door behind him and escape through a window to the apartment management office, where a worker summoned the sheriff and paramedics.

The victim was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where she was treated for a broken eye socket, a broken nose, contusions and a possible concussion. She remains hospitalized, but is expected to make a complete recovery.

Scott said that Pierce, who also goes by the names Anthony Pierce and Kevin Erby, is a habitual parole violator and has been convicted of sexual acts with children under age 14 as well as narcotics violations.

``We don't know where he has gone, he has no car or job and no ties to this community,'' Scott said. ``Because of his other sexual assaults, we consider him extremely dangerous. We're not putting anything past him.''

Millie Jones, senior deputy for county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, said the supervisor was offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to Pierce's arrest and conviction.

``He hopes that the reward will serve as an incentive for people to come forward with information, regardless of how irrelevant they think it might be,'' she said.

A copy of the sheriff's bulletin with Pierce's photo and description was posted in the staff room at La Mesa Junior High School in Canyon Country, but no notices were sent home with the students.

``Because it appears to be localized and not someone who has kidnapped children off the street, we are not sending anything home at this time,'' said William S. Hart Union School District spokesperson Pat Willett, adding that it wasn't known if the girl is a student in the district.

Anyone with information about Pierce's whereabouts or with further information on the incident is asked to call the sheriff's Special Victims Bureau at [phone].

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

(color -- ran in SAC edition only) PIERCE