Police Accuse Sex Offender of Raping Woman at Bus Stop

Police believe a previously convicted sex offender walked to a Fort Lauderdale bus stop and raped a woman on Oct. 12, 2012.

A DNA match allegedly linked the 42-year-old man to the October rape, according to authorities.

A detective apparently tracked the man down on Wednesday and arrested him. He was charged with sexual battery, kidnapping and failing to register as a sex offender.

According to an arrest report, the alleged victim was walking to a bus stop when she went behind a vacant building to use the bathroom.

Authorities allege that is when the man came up and grabbed her by the neck and forced her up against a wall.

He apparently threatened to kill the woman if she made any noise, the Fort Lauderdale police report said.

The man allegedly forced the woman to perform oral sex on him and then raped her, police said.

Reports indicate that the woman went to a nearby business to call a friend for help after the alleged assault. Detectives claim that a medical examination following the attack preserved DNA that was matched to the accused in September.

In November, the woman identified the man as her attacker in a photo lineup, the report said.

The accused has denied the charges, but was ordered held without bond during his first-appearance at a court hearing on Thursday before a Broward County judge.

The judge said the man was an “extreme danger” to women in Broward County and throughout the state.

According to court records, the man was convicted of attempted sexual battery in Orange County in 1992 and sentenced to four years in state prison.

The man failed to re-register as a sex offender in October of last year as required, according to a complaint affidavit.

Sexual battery, also known as rape, is a violent sexual offense. Due to the nature of this crime, it is vital that those accused of committing this serious sex offense take allegations seriously. However, merely being accused of rape does not guarantee that you will be convicted of the crime. There are numerous cases of sexual crimes that are centered on false accusations. If you have been arrested for or charged with rape, a Fort Lauderdale Sex Crimes Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton can immediately begin looking into the claims made against you to uncover any fabricated events or false allegations.

While the U.S. criminal justice system considers a person to be innocent until proven guilty, this does not always hold true for people accused of sexual battery, rape or other sex crimes. Being wrongfully accused of a sex crime can change your life forever. That is why it is imperative to retain a criminal defense lawyer that can provide you with the powerful legal representation you need to defend yourself against these serious charges. To find out how a Fort Lauderdale Sex Crimes Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can help you, please contact us today online or call 866-608-5529 for a free consultation.