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Rape suspect charged in several cases - Man also wanted in other attacks
March 3, 2005 --The question is could a man arrested for a rape in northern Indiana earlier this week be a serial rapist? Police say that James Washington is now linked to six attacks in two states
Authorities announced the charges against the suspect at a press conference Thursday morning.
Washington reportedly used a badge to gain the trust of the victims. The attacks took place in Portage, Hammond and Hobart, Indiana and in south suburban Riverdale.
Although the crimes in question had some major similarities, they were not linked to the same suspect until the news conference in
r
Portage Thursday morning.
Police say the rapist used a stun gun and handcuffs in several of the
attacks but he misled investigators by using different cars to use during the incidents. Now police say they have a serial rapist in custody all because of a curious patrol officer in Portage.
Police say the suspect told detectives he worked as a security guard at Honey's Gentleman's Club in Gary. On January 12, they say, he followed a dancer to a Denny's restaurant a mile away where he approached the woman as she was eating.
"He is calm, very cool and collected. His demeanor, if anything else, I think makes him that much more dangerous. Because he is easily trusted," said Jeff White of the Hobart Police Department.
Later on in the restaurant parking lot, Washington allegedly abducted the woman at stun gun point and drove her in his rented car to the Indiana dunes where he handcuffed and assaulted her.
"He used a stun gun to also threaten them an
d t
hen two of our cases he physically choked the victim. In one case the victim lost consciousness," said Det. Dennis Meyers of the Portage P
olice Department.
Then Tuesday morning, of this week, Portage officer Dennis Bailey on routine patrol saw a rented car parked in the same area where the July 12 rape occurred. A woman in handcuffs leapt out of the vehicle screaming she was being raped. A suspect later identified as James Washington ran away but was captured 45 minutes later in Gary.
"James Washington is currently being held at the Porter County jail on a $1.5 million bond," said Cpl. John Ryan of the Portage Police Department.
Investigators say Washington was awaiting a March 14 trial for a July, 2001 rape in Hobart, Indiana. The Lake County circuit clerk tells ABC 7 News that a year later he was released on his own recognizance.
Since Washington's release, Hammond police say he became a suspect in an uncharged rape there. And Wednesday, Riverda
le, Ill
inois police charged Washington in the rapes of two teenagers on November 20 of last year.
The Lake County circuit clerk told ABC7 News that initially James Washi
ngton was held without bond in the aftermath of that Hobart rape. Then the bond we're told was set at $165,000. At this hour there has not been any official explanation as to how the $165,000 bond became a "own recognizance" bond when he was released eventually in July of 2004.
Rape suspect charged in several cases - Man also wanted in other attacks
March 3, 2005 --The question is could a man arrested for a rape in northern Indiana earlier this week be a serial rapist? Police say that James Washington is now linked to six attacks in two states
Authorities announced the charges against the suspect at a press conference Thursday morning.
Washington reportedly used a badge to gain the trust of the victims. The attacks took place in Portage, Hammond and Hobart, Indiana and in south suburban Riverdale.
Although the crimes in question had some major similarities, they were not linked to the same suspect until the news conference in
r
Portage Thursday morning.
Police say the rapist used a stun gun and handcuffs in several of the
attacks but he misled investigators by using different cars to use during the incidents. Now police say they have a serial rapist in custody all because of a curious patrol officer in Portage.
Police say the suspect told detectives he worked as a security guard at Honey's Gentleman's Club in Gary. On January 12, they say, he followed a dancer to a Denny's restaurant a mile away where he approached the woman as she was eating.
"He is calm, very cool and collected. His demeanor, if anything else, I think makes him that much more dangerous. Because he is easily trusted," said Jeff White of the Hobart Police Department.
Later on in the restaurant parking lot, Washington allegedly abducted the woman at stun gun point and drove her in his rented car to the Indiana dunes where he handcuffed and assaulted her.
"He used a stun gun to also threaten them an
d t
hen two of our cases he physically choked the victim. In one case the victim lost consciousness," said Det. Dennis Meyers of the Portage P
olice Department.
Then Tuesday morning, of this week, Portage officer Dennis Bailey on routine patrol saw a rented car parked in the same area where the July 12 rape occurred. A woman in handcuffs leapt out of the vehicle screaming she was being raped. A suspect later identified as James Washington ran away but was captured 45 minutes later in Gary.
"James Washington is currently being held at the Porter County jail on a $1.5 million bond," said Cpl. John Ryan of the Portage Police Department.
Investigators say Washington was awaiting a March 14 trial for a July, 2001 rape in Hobart, Indiana. The Lake County circuit clerk tells ABC 7 News that a year later he was released on his own recognizance.
Since Washington's release, Hammond police say he became a suspect in an uncharged rape there. And Wednesday, Riverda
le, Ill
inois police charged Washington in the rapes of two teenagers on November 20 of last year.
The Lake County circuit clerk told ABC7 News that initially James Washi
ngton was held without bond in the aftermath of that Hobart rape. Then the bond we're told was set at $165,000. At this hour there has not been any official explanation as to how the $165,000 bond became a "own recognizance" bond when he was released eventually in July of 2004.