Police Arrest Suspect In Series Of Rapes Man Suspected In Attacks On 4 Area Women Wanted In Snohomish County For Child Rape

Spokane police on Thursday arrested a man suspected of a string of rapes across the state, including recent attacks on a North Side woman and three teenage girls from Eastern Washington.

Demetrius Dean, 34, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a warrant from Snohomish County charging him with third-degree child rape.

Detectives spent Thursday afternoon interviewing Dean about several recent sexual assaults in the Spokane area. Prosecutors may file more charges against him today when he makes his first court appearance.

Dean is the chief suspect in an attack Wednesday on a woman who lives in the 6100 block of North Forest Boulevard, Detective Andy Anderson said.

The victim, in her 30s, told detectives she woke up about 3 a.m. to find a man in her bedroom.

The assailant, who had a knife and a gun, robbed her of cash and a credit card, then tied her to her bed and raped her, police said.

Neighbors saw Dean’s car leaving the scene and police have other evidence linking him to the attack, Detective Sgt. Larry Evans said.

“The victim was able to give us some clues,” Anderson added.

Dean also is suspected of raping three 14-year-old girls in the Spokane area.

Evans said Dean may be responsible for rapes in other states as well. “He has a record that leads us all over the country,” said Evans, who refused to elaborate.

Dean usually targets teenage girls not old enough to drive, particularly runaways, authorities said.

Using his late-model sportscar and a gentle demeanor, Dean coaxes girls into his car by promising them money for sex, Evans said.

“He would tell girls, ‘I know this guy who pays $1,000 to have sex with virgins,”’ Evans said. “He is a serial rapist. He is a pedophile. He is very calculated in what he has done.”

Dean was scheduled to attend a court hearing in Snohomish County last week in his child rape case there, according to court records. He did not show up, and a warrant was issued for his arrest Monday.

Evans said Dean has lived in Spokane for about four months and has bounced between jobs, twice being fired for “inappropriate behavior.” He would not provide details.

Dean has a felony record in at least two counties in Western Washington, including two convictions for first-degree robbery and one for escape.

He was arrested Thursday after patrol officers Cory Turman and Barry O’Connell spotted his car cruising down East Sprague Avenue about 1:15 p.m.

When Turman and O’Connell tried to pull him over, Dean jumped out of the black Mazda RX-7 near Sprague and Madelia and ran away.

The two officers chased him on foot, and he was arrested near Trent and Madelia.

, DataTimes