Man Freed After DNA Tests in Series of Rapes

DNA tests have freed a 20-year-old Los Angeles man arrested last week on suspicion of committing at least nine sexual assaults in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, police said Tuesday.

Although no felony sexual assault charges will be filed against Quintman Patterson, he still faces misdemeanor firearms charges, said Officer Grace Brady, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Assistant Chief George Gascon said officers had “good probable cause” to arrest Patterson on Thursday night as he rode a bicycle on Alexandria Avenue near Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown.

Gascon said Patterson resembled a composite drawing based on the descriptions of witnesses, was carrying a shoulder bag similar to one described by victims and attempted to run away when officers tried to stop him.

Patterson was carrying a concealed handgun when he was taken into custody in a motel parking lot, Gascon said.

Patterson’s name was included in a news release issued Friday about the arrest.

“We can’t hide that we have the person in custody,” Gascon said.

Initially, Patterson was ordered held on $1.4 million bail. But police said tests performed over the weekend by the department’s Scientific Investigation Division showed that Patterson’s DNA did not match samples recovered in several of the assaults being investigated. He was released Monday afternoon.

In the meantime, the city attorney’s office has filed firearms charges against Patterson in connection with the concealed weapon, for which he allegedly did not have a permit.

The investigation continues into the rapes, five of which occurred in Koreatown, police said. In each case, the attacker was armed with a handgun. Eight of the nine victims were of Korean descent.

The first attack occurred in Koreatown on Aug. 26, The most recent took place May 4 in Koreatown.

Police are asking anyone with information on the assaults to call (877) 529-3855.