A New Jersey man about 100 miles southwest of Englewood has been taken into custody on robbery charges. However, law enforcement officials say he's also a suspect in a string of daytime sexual assaultsin Camden.
The 19-year-old was taken into custody late last week as a suspect in an early January robbery of a "juvenile female." Approximately two weeks after that alleged robbery, a series of three daytime sexual assaults began in the area, authorities said.
A county prosecutor told media sources that "based upon evidence obtained," the man would be charged with aggravated sexual assault in two or more incidents. He might also possibly face additional charges, the prosecutor said.
Two of the alleged assaults were in January and the other was earlier this month.
Officials said one person was threatened with a gun. Another person was threatened with a knife. Both incidents reportedly happened in a secluded area near a bridge under repair, authorities said.
However, officials also noted that a 25-year-old woman who had last week claimed to be a victim of sexual assault has been charged with giving police officers false information. She claimed to have been assaulted in the area in which the other assaults reportedly took place.
A description of the alleged assailant listed him as a black man somewhere
between 20 and 30 years old, and between 5-foot-seven and six-feet tall.
As you can see, any number of men could fit those wide physical-description
parameters.
We can also see that false accusations are sometimes made against innocent people. In those cases, the accused needs experienced, effective legal counsel.
Source: Philly.com: "Man, 19, charged in series of sexual assaults in Camden," Darran Smith, Feb. 24, 2012