San Diego police have arrested an 18-year-old man suspected to be behind a series of sexual assaults, several targeting women who were jogging through the University Town Center area, over a two-month period.
Iniabasi Aniekeme Udom was arrested on charges of sexual assault, sexual battery and indecent exposure Thursday after a tip from UC San Diego police. At this point, Udom faces a single felony count and multiple misdemeanors.
While Udom is a college student, he does not attend UC San Diego, but his girlfriend does attend there, campus police told SDPD, and had given her rides to the La Jolla campus.
Investigators said evidence of the crimes was found during a search of Udom's home and vehicle.
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San Diego Police said they were tipped off by campus police officers, who remembered an incident that didn’t rise to the level of a crime but made them suspicious enough to warrant a call to SDPD when they recalled it. That incident involved a student who felt uncomfortable in Udom's presence and reported it to campus police. Police asked Udom to leave campus at that point.
Investigators said that they “served numerous search warrants on this case and feel very strongly that this is our guy,” SDPD Lt. Paul Phillips told NBC 7 on Thursday.
“I wouldn't be surprised if we got some additional calls on this guy after his arrest,” Phillips also said. “We certainly hope others would come forward.”
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In fact, SDPD said they were contacted by other alleged victims after they initially released information about the case.
Alleged Attacks Began in February
Five women out getting some exercise in the University Town Center neighborhood of San Diego were victims of a sexual predator this month — at least one of them in broad daylight — San Diego police said last month.
All the women were out jogging between noon and 10 p.m. in the nearby La Jolla Community, Doyle Community and Nobel Athletic parks between Feb. 7-17, according to investigators. Three of the victims were "accosted ... just outside their homes," police said, while two of the women were walking down the street when the incidents occurred.
The incidents took place in the following locations:
- 8100 Via Kino
- 7900 Caminito Dia
- Nobel Drive and Regents Road
- 9100 Judicial Drive
- 4000 Palmilla Drive
Investigators said in February that the suspect was a Black man who is 20-30 years old with short dreadlocks and brown eyes. He's between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall, has a muscular build and weighs around 175 pounds, give or take 10 pounds. Police released two photos of the man, which were captured on Ring cameras near the attack locations. The suspect is still being sought.
Police are asking any other victims to come forward to aid in the investigation and are also requesting that anybody with information about the cases to contact with law enforcement.
