Photo: Stock Image
PLEASANT HILL — A transient man arrested nine times in 2023 was arrested again in January for allegedly attacking a pregnant woman. The repeat offender is 26-year-old Joshua Downs who frequents San Francisco, Contra Costa County and Alameda County.
Multiple callers reported seeing a suspicious person on January 11, and a woman was attacked. The victim is employed as a nanny in Pleasant Hill. The suspicious person and the alleged attacker are apparently the same person.
Responding officers investigated the attack incident and Downs was subsequently identified as the suspect. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was apprehended the same day shortly after 3 p.m.
Downs was transported to the Martinez Detention Facility. He was booked on suspicion of attempted rape, sexual battery, indecent exposure, and for child abuse. Downs remains behind bars in lieu of $250,000 bond.
On January 16th, charges were filed against Downs at the Martinez-Wakefield Taylor Courthouse. Downs faces four misdemeanor level charges for –
- False imprisonment PC 236
- Indecent exposure PC 314(1)
- Sexual battery PC 243.4 (e) (1)
- Cruelty to a child PC 273a (b)
No stranger to law enforcement, Downs was arrested four times in December. He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and petty theft. He was also arrested for interfering with business customers, and obstructing/resisting an officer.
In November, Downs was arrested for grand theft of lost property. He was arrested for battery in May and July 2023. He was also arrested twice last year for trying to remove a firearm from a police officer.
