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. The arrest is the culmination of work by the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, a joint effort by MPD and the U.S. Attorney's Office, with support from other law enforcement partners, to reinvestigate, solve, and bring charges in previously unsolved sexual assault cases.

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.

Joining in today's announcement were U.S. Marshal Robert Dixon with D.C. Superior Court, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

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.

According to the complaint, in multiple attacks, the complainants were sleeping when Mercado began his assault. They reported being awakened to a stranger who was sexually assaulting them. After the victims woke up, the assailant fled.

"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."

"As yesterday's arrest demonstrates, advancements in technology and collaboration among law enforcement partners can lead to breakthroughs in cases that have previously gone unsolved," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. "The FBI Washington and Baltimore field offices reaffirm our commitment to seeking justice for victims of heinous crimes no matter how much time passes. We thank our federal and local partners who contributed to this investigation as well as those who work alongside us every day to protect our communities."

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 cases, please call the MPD at 202-727-9099 or text 50411. You can remain anonymous.

This case is being investigated by the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, a collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Significant assistance is being provided by the U.S. Marshal's Service's Superior Court Unit, the FBI Investigative Genetic Genealogy Team, FBI's Baltimore and Washington Field Offices, the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Arlington County Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Platt and Amy Zubrensky.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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