Serial Sexual Predator Charged in Five Cold Case Rapes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department today announced the arrest of Ernesto Mercado, 54, of Arlington, Virginia, in connection with five sexual offenses that occurred in the Georgetown area of the District of Columbia between 2008 and 2012.
Mercado was arrested last night and is charged by complaint with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances and five counts of second-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances in connection with five previously unsolved, forensically linked home invasion rapes.
He had an appearance in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia today. The Honorable Heide L. Herrmann ordered the defendant held pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 10, 2024.
The attacks occurred in the Georgetown area of Northwest Washington, D.C. According to the complaint, evidence testing in all five cases yielded the same unknown male DNA profile which also matched a DNA profile for a separate offense that occurred just off the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.
“Thanks to DNA evidence from the rape kits of courageous survivors, improvements in DNA technology, and the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors, we were able to link these six rapes,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Once we had a DNA profile of the suspect, the team used every forensic tool at its disposal, as well as old-fashioned detective work, to identify the person behind this DNA profile. That hard work led to yesterday’s arrest of Ernesto Mercado. This case, and the Cold Case Initiative itself, are a testament to the law enforcement officers, the prosecutors and the advocates who never stop working on behalf of the victims.”
“For the past 16 years, our Sexual Assault Unit detectives have continued to follow-up on leads and connect the cases together – looking for patterns, evidence, and a suspect,” said Chief Pamela A. Smith. “We know that people often want answers right away in cases, but our detectives never gave up and today’s announcement speaks to their unending commitment to bring justice to victims.”
The incidents charged include: a June 26, 2008, sexual assault; a July 10, 2009, sexual assault; a February 28, 2010, sexual assault; an August 29, 2010, sexual assault; and an August 31, 2012, sexual assault, all in the District of Columbia. The defendant was linked to the attacks through DNA testing and other investigative tools.
This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone who was a victim of sexual assault or who may have information related to these or other crimes is encouraged to contact the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099 or mpdc.crime@dc.gov.
Related Federal Cases
- Jerome M. Holliway, Sexual Assault, Washington DC 2017 · Washington
- D.C.-Area Hotel Rapist, Serial Rape, Washington D.C. 1998-2006 · Washington
- Charles Johnson Sentenced to 32 Years for Child Sex Abuse, Washington DC, 2023 · Washington
- Jason Hanif Rehman, Coercion and Enticement of a Child, Washington DC 2024 · Washington
- Keith Dietterle, Possession of Child Pornography, Washington DC 2012 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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