sexual assault

Crime Report: Crimes Against Women

By ARLnow.com

This week’s Arlington County crime report contained several incidents of frightening crimes against women. Among them:

RAPE, 01/25/12, 3000 block of Columbia Pike. Between 2 and 3 pm on January 25, a female victim was raped by a known suspect in a hotel room. The suspect is in custody.

ROBBERY, 01/27/12, 4100 block of N. Henderson Road. At 1:30 am on January 27, an intoxicated female walking alone was punched in the face by an unknown male suspect and her wallet was stolen. Only when the female victim screamed for help did the suspect flee the scene on foot. There is no suspect description.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 01/31/12, 1600 block of N. Arlington Boulevard. On January 31 at 8:30 pm, a female returning to her hotel room was confronted by a subject just outside her door in the hallway and was sexually assaulted. When the victim went to the front desk to report the incident, the suspect fled on foot. The suspect is described as a black male, late 20’s, approximately 160 lbs with a slender build. At the time he was wearing a navy blue knit cap and a one-piece navy blue jumpsuit.

ARMED CARJACKING, 01/31/12, 3400 block of S. 25th Court. Just after 7pm on January 31, two unknown suspects approached the female victim as she was exiting her vehicle, brandished a handgun and demanded her car keys. The victim’s purse was also taken and her credit cards were reportedly used in Prince George’s County shortly after the carjacking. The suspects are described as black males, 18-27 years old, approximately 6′ tall and 170-200 lbs.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Police Ask for Sexual Assault Victims to Come Forward

By Katie Pyzyk

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit asks for the public’s help in solving a crime. The department is trying to catch a sex offender and would like victims or witnesses to come forward.

The suspect has been known to find his victims through contact on internet sites and online advertisements. He is described as a black male, 35-45 years old, 5’7″-5’9″ and 160-180 pounds.

An incident two weeks ago is the latest in what may be a string of crimes by the same suspect. The victim told police she had been hired by the suspect from an online advertisement to perform sexual acts in a Crystal City hotel room. When the suspect arrived at the room, the victim asked him to leave. The victim was forced to stay in the room against her will and perform unwanted sexual acts. She was able to escape and immediately went to the police.

Anyone who believes they have been a sexual assault victim or witness to a crime by this suspect is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department at 703-558-2222, or directly contact Detective Sandra Lafley at 703-228-4052. Detective Lafley can be emailed at [email protected].

Crime Report: Female Escort Sexually Assaulted

By ARLnow.com

A female escort was held against her will and sexually assaulted in a Crystal City hotel room last week, according to the latest Arlington County crime report.

ABDUCTION WITH INTENT TO DEFILE / SEXUAL ASSAULT, 01/19/12, 2000 block of S. Jefferson Davis Highway. On January 19, around 8 pm, a female escort was held against her will in a hotel room while an unknown male sexually assaulted her. The suspect is a black male, 30-39, 170 lbs.

This is the third time in recent memory that a crime against an escort has been reported in Crystal City. A local man was arrested on Nov. 4, 2010, after allegedly forcing two prostitutes to perform sex acts at gunpoint. Then on Dec. 15, 2011, a female escort was robbed of cash at gunpoint on the 2000 block of Jefferson Davis Highway.

Also in Crystal City last week, several men are accused of going to a 23rd Street nail salon, then skipping out on the bill. One suspect even allegedly took $1,500 from an employee’s purse.

GRAND LARCENY, 01/18/12, 500 block of S. 23rd Street. On January 17 at 4 pm, five suspects entered a nail salon, received service and left without paying. While distracting salon staff, one of the subjects stole $1,500 cash from an employee’s purse. All suspects were black males, 25-30 years of age; however three were dressed in female clothes and wore wigs.

Finally, a young woman is accused of robbing a juvenile at gunpoint during a pot deal in the East Falls Church area.

ARMED ROBBERY, 01/24/12, 2600 block of N. Winchester Street. Shortly after 6 pm on January 24, an unknown female suspect brandished a handgun and robbed a juvenile for $100 cash during a marijuana deal. Immediately after, the female fled the scene in a green SUV driven by another party. The suspect is described as an Asian female, approximately 18 years old, 5’5″, 120lbs, with a dark mole under her left eye.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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ACPD Investigates Sexual Assault in Arlington Ridge

By ARLnow.com

A female jogger was sexually assaulted this morning on Army Navy Drive, in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood, according to police.

The jogger, 37, was knocked to the ground, kicked several times and touched in a sexual manner, police say. She was taken to the hospital to treat her injuries.

The police department issued the following press release about the incident this afternoon.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a sexual assault that occurred this morning in the 2000 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 6:35 a.m. on Thursday, September 29, 2011, an unknown male attacked a female jogging down the sidewalk.

A 37 year-old female was running when an unknown male knocked her to the ground. He kicked her several times to immobilize her and touched her in a sexual manner against her will. The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect is described as an African American male approximately 30-40 years old, 5’10” to 6’ tall with a medium build. He had several inches of hair growth on his head and was wearing a button-down light blue shirt, dark pants and dark shoes. This assault does not appear to be connected to any other incidents in the area and the investigation is on-going.

If anyone was in the area during this time and witnessed suspicious behavior, or the assault, they are asked contact Detective James Stone at (703) 228-4245. Det. Stone can also be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]. Witnesses can also call the Arlington Police Tip-Line at (703) 228-4242.

Attempted Sexual Assault Near Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Police are looking for a man suspected of trying to sexually assault one woman and improperly touching another last Friday.

The crimes took place near the Rosslyn and Courthouse areas.

Police say the man is first suspected of running up to a woman on the 1700 block of N. Quinn Street, near the 7-Eleven store, and grabbing her buttocks. That happened around 11:20 Friday night.

Then, a half hour later, the man allegedly knocked a woman to the ground on the 1800 block of N. Veitch Street, a couple of blocks from the Courthouse Metro station. Police say the man covered the woman’s head with his shirt, pulled at her shirt and “asked for sex.” Another woman who was walking with the victim ran off and called police. Police describe the crime as an attempted sexual assault.

Here are the two incidents as described in Monday’s daily police report:

ATTEMPT SEXUAL ASSAULT, 08/27/11, 1800 block of N. Veitch Street. On August 26 at 11:50 pm, two women were walking when an unknown man ran up to them. He knocked one woman to the ground covering her head with his blue plaid shirt. The suspect pulled at her shirt and asked for sex. The second female ran and called police. The suspect is described as an African American male in his late 20’s and 5’10”. He was wearing a white t-shirt and carrying his other shirt.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 08/26/11, 1700 block of N. Quinn Street. On August 26 at 11:20 pm, a woman was walking when an unknown man ran up and grabbed her buttocks. The suspect was a man in his 30’s with a dark complexion, 5’10” with a thin build. He was wearing a blue or green plaid button up shirt. This suspect is similar in description to the above incident.

Crime Report: Day Laborer Robbed

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, we learn more about the suspect arrested after a series of foot chases Sunday night.

ABDUCTION-ARREST, 05/02/11, 4900 block of N. 19th Street. On May 1 at 11:15 pm, a 17 year-old female was attacked by a former acquaintance. The suspect grabbed the victim and pulled her to a wooded area where he attempted to sexually assault her. The victim managed to escape and call police. After an extensive search and several foot pursuits, police apprehended the suspect. Milton Masariego-Deleon, 22, of Arlington, was charged with Abduction with the Intent to Defile. He was held without bond.

On Tuesday night, three suspects lured a day laborer into their car, then assaulted him and stole his money and cell phone.

ROBBERY, 05/03/11, 600 block of S. Carlin Springs Road. On May 3 at 5:30 pm, a man entered a vehicle under the understanding that he was being hired for manual labor. An unknown female drove the car, and two unknown men were inside. The men then assaulted the subject and stole his cell phone and cash. The victim managed to flee the area. The suspects were all African American. The female was in her early 30’s, wore a purple top and had long hair. The first male suspect was in his late 20’s, 6’3″ with a skinny build. He was clean cut and wore a red and white short-sleeve shirt, black pants and black sunglasses. The second suspect was in his mid-30’s, 6’3″ with a chubby build. He had a goatee and wore a blue and red t-shirt and black pants.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Unwanted Intrusions Edition

By ARLnow.com

This week’s Arlington County crime report contains several items of note. On Thursday, a bullet was fired into a Pentagon City apartment. Nobody was injured and nobody knows who fired the bullet.

MISSILE INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING 04/18/11, 1300 block of S. Arlington Ridge Road. On April 14 at midnight, an unknown subject fired a bullet into an occupied apartment. No one was injured. There are no known suspects.

Also on Thursday, someone stole packages from two Yorktown-area doorsteps. The packages were found, but not their contents.

LARCENY (SERIES) 04/15/11, 4800 block of N. 30th Street and the 5500 block of N. 34th Street. On April 14 between 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm, an unknown subject stole packages left by the postal service on two doorsteps. The theft was discovered when the packages were found in the street, minus the contents. There is no suspect description.

On Sunday a woman was grabbed and kissed against her will while jogging on the Custis Trail.

ABDUCTION-ARREST 04/17/11, 2000 block of N. Cleveland Street. On April 17 at 5:30 pm, a woman was running on a bike trail when a man grabbed her and kissed her. She broke free of his embrace and fled. The suspect was located by police. Tereso De Jesus Bonilla, 45, of Arlington, was charged with Abduction. He was held without bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Publicity May Have Prompted Rape Suspect to Turn Himself In

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police and other law enforcement agencies had been looking for a rape suspect Ronald P. Berton but it wasn’t until his mug shot was splashed across TV screens and computer monitors that the 36-year-old decided to turn himself in.

It’s not known for sure whether media attention helped convince Berton to surrender to police Sunday night — two days after police handed his photo over to local news organizations — but it certainly didn’t hurt.

“The media coverage around Berton’s warrant assisted with his arrest,” Arlington County police said in a statement. “This is an excellent example of citizens, the media, and law enforcement working together towards a safer community.”

Arlington Police Seek Rape Suspect

By ARLnow.com

Update at 2:20 p.m. on 1/24/11 — Suspect Ronald P. Berton turned himself in to police last night, confirms police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal.

Earlier: Arlington Police have named a suspect in a sexual assault case from September.

The incident occurred on Sept. 26 on the 2500 block of 20th Road North.

Police say Berton, 36, walked into an apartment through an unlocked front door and found a woman sleeping. He sexually assaulted the woman, stole items from the apartment and then fled the area, according to police.

Investigators have used DNA evidence to link Berton with a similar crime that occurred in 2008.

Police say a woman was sleeping when Berton entered her Colonial Village apartment on the morning of Sept. 10, 2008. According to investigators, Berton threatened the woman with a knife and then exposed himself to her. He left without taking anything or hurting the victim, police said.

A police press release at the time included a composite sketch that resembles a photo of Berton provided by police this afternoon.

Berton is described as 5’11” and 170 lbs. He’s wanted for rape and several other charges.

Anyone who spots Berton is asked to call police:

If you see Ronald Berton, you should immediately call 9-1-1. Anyone with additional information on Berton’s location is urged to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703 228-4242, or Detective Michael Austin at (703) 228-4241. Det. Austin can also be reached by email at [email protected].

Police Arrest Suspect in Hotel Sexual Assualt Case

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested a man for the Aug. 14 abduction and robbery of two Canadian citizens, a mother and her daughter, at the Best Western on South Glebe Road.

Investigators say 49-year-old Storme Swann, a registered sex offender from LaPlata, Md., knocked on the victims’ hotel room door then forced his way inside. He sexually assaulted the daughter, who is in her 50s, and then fled after stealing money and electronics, according to police.

In a press release, police say they tracked down the suspect thanks to an anonymous tip.

An anonymous tip through Crime Solvers lead detectives to the Charles County Sherriff’s Office who identified the suspect as a registered sex offender in Maryland. With the assistance of detectives from the Charles County Sherriff’s Office, Storme Swann, 49, of LaPlata, Maryland, was arrested on November 22, 2010. He was charged with Abduction with the Intent to Defile and two counts of Robbery. He is currently being held without bond in Maryland.

Anyone who has further information about this robbery is asked to call Detective Donald Fortunato of the Arlington County Police Department at (703) 228-4197. Det. Fortunato can also be reached by email at [email protected].

Blue Top Cab Sued for Woman’s Sexual Assault

By ARLnow.com

A young woman is suing Arlington Blue Top Cab, claiming she was sexually assaulted after a cabbie dropped her off in a dangerous neighborhood at 3:30 a.m. because she was $1.95 short on the fare.

According to the lawsuit, first reported by Courthouse News Service, the woman was taking a Blue Top taxi from Arlington to Alexandria early on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008. When the cab arrived at her house in Alexandria, the woman says she tried to pay with a credit card.

The cabbie ran the card twice and each time said the card was rejected, when in fact the payment went through, according to the lawsuit. When the woman only had $18 in cash for the $19.95 fare, the driver is alleged to have insisted upon driving her to an ATM.

The ATM, located in a high-crime section of Alexandria, was out of service, the lawsuit claims. After the woman got back in the cab and told the driver about the out of service ATM, he is alleged to have pulled over, taken the $18 she had in her possession, and — despite pleas for her safety — forced the young woman out of the cab.

“Immediately after being ejected by [the driver] from the Blue Top taxi cab, while attempting to walk to a safe location, [the plaintiff] was approached on the sidewalk by a man who indicated he had a gun,” the lawsuit says. “The man threatened to shoot [the plaintiff], then dragged her into a nearby parking garage, where he brutally sexually assaulted her.”

The lawsuit, filed on Nov. 12 in Alexandria Circuit Court, seeks $5 million in damages from Blue Top Cab and the driver for negligence, fraud, breach of contract, false imprisonment and the infliction of emotional distress.

A call to Blue Top Cab management has not been returned.

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