Thurston County detectives arrest man accused of 2 rapes after months-long investigation
Deputies have arrested a 43-year-old man accused of raping two people at knifepoint.
After a months-long investigation, the man has been booked into the Thurston County jail on suspicion of first-degree rape, first-degree rape of a child and failure to register as a sex offender, according to the county jail log.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office alleges the man approached women in downtown Olympia and “lured them to what he claimed was his home under deceptive conditions,” according to a Tuesday news release. Detectives know of two victims, but the release says they believe there may be more.
The man is accused of sexually assaulting the victims at knife point and then transporting them to a different location, Sheriff Derek Sanders said in a Facebook post. Detectives and “elements” of the county’s SWAT Team arrested the man after the county Narcotics Task Force confirmed his location at a residence, Sanders said.
“This case was a great example of exemplary teamwork and dedication to the victims to safely bring a violent sex offender before the courts,” Sanders said.
The jail log notes the arrest occurred Tuesday afternoon near the 8800 block of Quinault Drive, which is northeast of Tanglewilde and near Interstate 5.
Detectives connected the two known allegations after one of the victims provided detail that “significantly aided” the investigation, according to the release. The Sheriff’s Office described the suspect is a registered sex offender in a different county.
Court records show the suspect has an active case in Kitsap County where he’s accused of failing to register as a sex offender.
He was previously convicted of third-degree rape, second-degree assault and third-degree rape of a child in a 2020 Thurston County Superior Court case.
The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who may have experienced a “similar ordeal or any form of sexual assault” to contact a deputy via dispatch at 360-704-2740 or email at detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.
“Your information could be crucial in furthering this investigation and preventing future offenses…” the release says. “Your courage in sharing your story can make a significant difference.”
