Man pleads not guilty in Craigslist rape
KENT, Wash. -- A man who police say raped a woman he lured to a parking lot through an ad posted on Craigslist pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Jermaine L. Route, 22, has been charged with rape, kidnapping and robbery in the January 7 attack.
Sheriff spokesman John Urquhart said the 26-year-old victim was in the Skyway neighborhood, responding to an ad posted on the craigslist.org Web site seeking a nude model.
When the woman pulled into a parking lot to use her cell phone, a man jumped into her car and put a knife to her throat, Urquhart said.
He allegedly forced the woman to drive around before telling her to pull over and raping her.
Before running off, the man took the woman's ID and said he knew where she lived and would "get her" if she called police, according to court documents.
Jermaine L. Route was arrested at his home after being identified by a fingerprint left in the victim's car, investigators said.
Urquhart said a similar attack occurred in Skyway on December 20. In that incident, a 21-year-old woman was stopped at a red light when a man jumped into her car, held a knife to her throat and sexually assaulted her.
Detectives believe the same man is responsible for both attacks, and possibly a third, Urquhart said.
"The common denominator in at least two of the cases seems to be answering craigslist ads, either his or their own ads," he said. "What worries us is there may be other victims out there who haven't come forward to the police."
Route is being held at the Regional Justice Center in Kent.
"He's clearly a dangerous individual," Urquhart said. "If there's any other victims that were raped by this guy we need know about it."
Anyone with information is asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office at 206-296-3311.
Jermaine L. Route, 22, has been charged with rape, kidnapping and robbery in the January 7 attack.
Sheriff spokesman John Urquhart said the 26-year-old victim was in the Skyway neighborhood, responding to an ad posted on the craigslist.org Web site seeking a nude model.
When the woman pulled into a parking lot to use her cell phone, a man jumped into her car and put a knife to her throat, Urquhart said.
He allegedly forced the woman to drive around before telling her to pull over and raping her.
Before running off, the man took the woman's ID and said he knew where she lived and would "get her" if she called police, according to court documents.
Jermaine L. Route was arrested at his home after being identified by a fingerprint left in the victim's car, investigators said.
Urquhart said a similar attack occurred in Skyway on December 20. In that incident, a 21-year-old woman was stopped at a red light when a man jumped into her car, held a knife to her throat and sexually assaulted her.
Detectives believe the same man is responsible for both attacks, and possibly a third, Urquhart said.
"The common denominator in at least two of the cases seems to be answering craigslist ads, either his or their own ads," he said. "What worries us is there may be other victims out there who haven't come forward to the police."
Route is being held at the Regional Justice Center in Kent.
"He's clearly a dangerous individual," Urquhart said. "If there's any other victims that were raped by this guy we need know about it."
Anyone with information is asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office at 206-296-3311.