The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of a suspect in a series of cold case sexual assaults that occurred in off-campus apartments between 2008 and 2012. The suspect, known at the time as the ‘Georgetown Cuddler,’ was responsible for five rapes near Georgetown University and one near the University of Maryland. After years of investigation, 54-year-old Ernesto Mercado of Arlington has been charged with eight counts of sexual abuse for the D.C. cases.
Detective Alexander MacBean, who has been working on the case for ten years, expressed the satisfaction of being able to tell the victims that the perpetrator has been identified and will be held accountable. The arrest was made possible through the diligent work of the MPD cold-case sexual assault unit and new DNA-matching technology. Police had been tailing Mercado for weeks, eventually obtaining a DNA swab without his knowledge which confirmed the match to the crimes.
Mercado is currently being held in D.C. jail without bond. The MPD is urging anyone who may recognize Mercado or have information about other cold cases to come forward. This arrest marks a significant step in bringing closure to the victims and holding the perpetrator accountable for his heinous crimes.
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