Ft. Lewis soldier charged in groping case

Ft. Lewis soldier charged in groping case

Police sketch of the Puyallup groping suspect

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Story Published: Aug 1, 2008 at 4:41 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 12:04 AM PDT

By KOMO Staff

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TACOMA - Pierce County authorities have arrested and charged a 21-year-old Fort Lewis soldier in connection with a string of sexually motivated groping attacks on Puyallup women.

George Collin Applegate was charged Thursday with first-degree attempted rape, first-degree attempted kidnapping and two counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is now being held in Pierce County Jail on $500,000 bail.

Applegate's arrest follows a lengthy investigation into a series of assaults in the city of Puyallup that date back to October 2007.

He was indentified as a possible suspect via a citizen tip, and afterwards was positively identified by the victim of a May 20 assault.

Applegate was charged with three separate assaults that took place on May 8 and 20.

In all three cases, women reported being followed by a suspect who then assaulted them and groped them.

In the May 8 incident, an 18-year-old woman was attacked and sexually assaulted as she walked home from work. She was knocked to the ground and the suspect attempted to remove her clothing as he groped her. The suspect broke off the assault and ran away when someone heard her screams and came to assist.

In another incident on May 20, a 22-year-old woman was assaulted and groped as she walked past the suspect.

In a second incident on May 20, a 25-year-old woman was assaulted and groped by a man who got out of a red Honda and followed her, despite her attempts to evade him.

After a composite sketch was released of the suspect, a citizen called police and provided Applegate's name. Two of the victims then were able to pick out Applegate's picture out of a photo montage.

A Puyallup detective interviewed Applegate last month. He denied sexually assaulting any of the victims but admitted he felt he was falling into "lustful sin," which he explained meant he had a strong urge to have sex.

Puyallup police Detectives continue to investigate Applegate's involvement, if any, with at least three other remaining unsolved groping assaults.

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