Santa Barbara – On the night of April 1st, an attempted sexual assault upon a female victim took place just after 9:00 p.m. in the middle of a busy downtown Santa Barbara commercial area…and much of the event was captured on video security cameras positioned in various business locations.
When the images showing the individual perpetrating the attack were made public just two days later via a Santa Barbara Police Department Catch A Predator outreach, the suspect was quickly identified as Oscar Javier Aguilar-Jimenez, a 26 year-old Santa Barbara resident.
According to SBPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, investigation by detectives into the incident, as well as various angles of security camera videos, indicated that Aguilar-Jimenez had hidden just outside of a rear entrance to a retail establishment waiting for his victim to exit into the night. When she opened to rear door, Aguilar-Jimenez forced his way into the establishment, and allegedly used a knife to perpetrate a violent sexual attack upon her. Her screams immediately alerted a male co-worker still inside the establishment, and when he came to her aid, he was set upon by Aguilar-Jimenez who slashed his hand before fleeing the scene.
“SBPD Crimes Against Persons Detective Doublas Klug conducted follow-up investigation,” Harwood reported, and “submitted multiple items of evidence initially collected by patrol Crime Scene Investigation Officers to the California Department of Justice Crime Lab for DNA analysis,” and informed them of the urgency of their submission as law enforcement believed a sexual predator was active and threatening the safety of others in Santa Barbara.
On May 9th, Klug was notified that a DNA match established a strong connection between the evidence analyzed and Aguilar-Jimenez, a probationer pursuant to a conviction for auto theft. While Detectives were on the hunt for Aguilar-Jimenez, he was, as Harwood described it, “coincidentally arrested for an unrelated burglary and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail.” And that’s precisely where Aguilar-Jimenez was when Det. Klug showed up to book him for assault with the intent to commit certain felonies, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and burglary.
Aguilar-Jimenez remains in custody on $250,000 bail.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
Read more:
KCLU: Police say DNA links man to attack
EdHat: DNA ID leads to attempted assault suspect
Noozhawk: Police use DNA to identify, arrest suspect
