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Houston police have arrested a suspect charged in the sexual assault of three females in southwest Houston in the last month. Sedric Lynn Johnson (b/m, DOB: 8-4-91) is charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault and four counts of aggravated
robbery in the 339th State District Court.

The 23-year-old woman got home to the Mills Apartments in southwest Houston just after midnight on May 27. As she walked to her ground-floor unit, she saw a man about her age sitting on nearby stairs.

Just as she reached her door, police say, he pounced from behind, grabbing her arm and throwing her to the ground. He started pulling her, kicking and screaming, across the concrete.

The two fought over her purse, and when the woman finally gave it up, the man rushed off, leaving her bruised and scratched, authorities said.

The next night, police said, the same man forced a different woman into a vacant apartment at gunpoint and raped her. It was one of a series of attacks that for the past month have terrorized the Mills Apartments, a sprawling complex with entrances on
Bissonnet and the West Sam Houston Parkway.

Sedric Lynn Johnson, 20, was arrested Saturday after DNA from the sexual assaults was identified as his. He has been charged with raping and robbing three women and robbing a fourth.

His DNA profile was in a law enforcement database because he was convicted of burglary in 2009 and theft last year.

'Crime of opportunity'

Houston police investigator Ron Churchill said Johnson used a gun to force women into a vacant apartment while another man acted as a "lookout."

"It was just a crime of opportunity," Churchill said. "They were alone in the parking lot, walking along."

He said the accomplice, who has not been identified, watched the crimes taking place but did not participate.

Churchill said Johnson lived in apartments next to the 708-unit complex where the assaults took place.

The Mills has been criticized for its lack of security and because about a third of the apartments have been vacant, with many left unlocked.

A representative of the complex referred questions to the Houston Police Department.

Investigators said Johnson took at least two of the women to the same apartment, where a gun has been found. Churchill said the third woman is not sure where she was taken.

The most recent rape took place about 12:30 a.m. June 3, while the others happened about 9:35 p.m. May 27 and about 2:50 a.m. May 20. The victims ranged in age from 19 to 43.

After an arraignment in state District Judge Maria Jackson's court Tuesday, prosecutors said Johnson used the same methods to trap his victims and assaulted each in similar ways.

"It's very animalistic," said Assistant Harris County District Attorney Alison Bainbridge. "To think that someone has the audacity to treat another human with that amount of disrespect is something that hurts your heart."

Kyle Johnson was appointed Tuesday to defend Johnson.

"He's in shock," the attorney said. "I just met him today for the first time, but he's charged with some very serious crimes, and I think it's just starting to sink in."

Testing hastened

Police said testing the DNA results was fast-tracked because the attacks were continuing.

"We definitely did speed it up," said Courtney Head, an HPD crime lab supervisor. "We were done in about two and half weeks - a fairly fast turnaround time."

Johnson is being held without bail on three counts of aggravated sexual assault and four counts of robbery.

If convicted, he faces a maximum punishment of life in prison.

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/sw-houston-man-accused-of-being-a-serial-rapist-3646394.php

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