The man has been charged in connection to a few separate incidents in Garland and Mesquite. Police are asking you contact them should you’ve been attacked by him.
DALLAS COUNTY, Texas — A North Texas man has been arrested and charged in connection to multiple sexual assault incidents in Garland and Mesquite.
Garland police mentioned Justin Dejohn Smith is in custody of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and faces fees of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated theft, tried homicide, evading arrest and illegal restraint.
The first reported incident got here at roughly 1:10 p.m. on Aug. 23, at an residence group within the 5600 block of Duck Creek Road. When officers arrived, they discovered a feminine sufferer who mentioned she had been bodily and sexually assaulted, Garland police mentioned. The sufferer advised police she was in her residence when Smith entered, held her in opposition to her will, and bodily and sexually assaulted her.
Police mentioned in a launch that Smith “removed property from the victim’s apartment and then left in the victim’s stolen vehicle.” The sufferer advised police Smith was a stranger and he or she’d by no means seen him earlier than.
Garland Police Lieutenant Richard Maldonado tells WFAA that Smith had a knife through the dwelling invasion theft and the sufferer had suffered lacerations. She was handled at a close-by hospital and launched.
“She slightly opened the door and at that point he forced himself into this house,” mentioned Maldonado. “This victim, she fought, and she tried, and she did everything right,” he mentioned.
Then, 4 days afterward Aug. 27, Garland police have been contacted by Mesquite Police personnel, saying they’d arrested a person for assaulting two feminine victims within the City of Mesquite.
According to the Mesquite Police Department, on Aug. 24, a feminine sufferer was approached by Smith within the parking zone of her residence, situated within the 2700 block of U.S. Highway 80, and requested her for instructions. This sufferer mentioned Smith opened her automotive door and commenced restraining her in her automobile till she was in a position to honk the horn which brought on him to run away.
On Aug. 27, Mesquite cops responded to the 5900 block of Northwest Drive, the place one other feminine sufferer suggested she was washing her automotive when Smith approached and commenced choking her inside her automobile. A witness intervened on this incident and brought on Smith to run away, police mentioned. Mesquite police situated Smith at a close-by residence complicated later that day and arrested him.
“We were contacted by Mesquite. Mesquite said, ‘hey, we’re working a deal and it kinda fits what you guys had,'” mentioned Maldonado.
Police began to attach the dots and realized shortly that Smith was focusing on lady who have been alone. Natalie Garza is a Mesquite resident and he or she was shaken by the news. Garza tells WFAA she takes morning walks alone.
“I’m still shocked and I can’t get over it because what if it happened to me?” Garza mentioned. “You’re focused on cleaning your car. You’re not thinking about someone coming up sexually assaulting you or choking you,” she mentioned.
Garland Police inform WFAA Smith’s crimes of their metropolis alone quantity to a bond totaling $700,000.
The Mesquite and Garland Police Departments are in search of the general public’s assist in figuring out if there have been further victims, or if anybody has been in current contact with Smith. If you’ve gotten information about earlier offenses within the City of Garland, contact Garland Police Investigator Seaberry at 972-205-1672. If you’ve gotten information about earlier offenses within the City of Mesquite, contact Mesquite Police Investigator Soto at 972-216-6704.
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