Press Contact: Jessica Perry, Berkeley Police Department, (510) 981-5780SUSPECT ARRESTED AND CHARGED FOR COLD CASE SEXUAL ASSAULT
Berkeley, California (Wednesday, March 31, 2021) - In 1997,Berkeley PD investigated a sexual assault. The victim, a teenagejuvenile, reported meeting the suspect near Telegraph Avenue. The suspectoffered to smoke marijuana and drive the victim home. During the car ridethrough the Berkeley Hills, the suspect solicited the victim for sexual acts,which the victim declined several times. The suspect mentioned a firearmand threatened to shoot the victim. While in the vehicle, the suspect sodomizedthe victim. After the sexual assault, the victim was able to get out of the carand call for help. The case was initially investigated and then it wentcold, with no additional leads.
This casewas reopened in 2020 for further investigation. An unknown DNA profile wasfound on evidence from the scene. This DNA profile matched to a namedoffender. The suspect was located in a jail facility in Texas.
On December3, 2020, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged the suspect, a49-year-old Ohio resident, with PC 286 – Sodomy by force, and a specialallegation of sexual assault during a kidnapping.
On March 24th,2021, the suspect was extradited back to Alameda County where he remains incustody.
We commendthe diligence of our Detective Division and their persistence in thisinvestigation.
Case1997-00034605
###
Keep up with City of Berkeley news via our News page, email or .