Dejohn Lee, accused of raping at least nine women, starting when he was 16, is escorted by police to an arraignment hearing in Media, Pa., Thursday, March 30, 2017. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan on Monday said Lee has been in custody since early January, when one of his accusers saw him in a grocery store and called police. (Mari Schaefer/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
Republished March 30, 2017 - 2:41 PM
Original Publication Date March 30, 2017 - 12:50 PM
CHESTER, Pa. - A 19-year-old man has been charged with assaulting nine women, and raping at least six, in attacks that began when he was 16, authorities said Thursday.
DeJohn Lee has been in custody since early January, when one of his accusers saw him in a suburban Philadelphia grocery store and called police. The arrest occurred four days after what authorities say was his last attack.
Lee would stalk each victim until she was alone, then grab her from behind, put a gun to her head and drag her into a secluded area, prosecutors said.
He always tried to hide his face with his hoodie or by wearing a mask, District Attorney Jack Whelan said.
The charges against him include rape, attempted murder, aggravated assault and related offences.
Police said Lee told them he had many more victims, and Whelan is urging them to come forward. He said detectives also have DNA evidence tying Lee to some of the attacks.
Lee, of Chester, had no comment for reporters on the way to his arraignment Thursday. No attorney information is available online.
The prosecutor said one of the victims was a county youth services employee whom Lee shot in the head when she fought off the attack. She suffered a graze wound.
"Most of these victims were fighting him," Whelan said.
Lee, whose parents are deceased, had dropped out of school, lived at a number of addresses and held a juvenile record, and he was not working, the prosecutor said.
___
This story has been corrected to show Lee is charged with assaulting nine women and raping at least six of them, not charged with raping nine women.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017