Convicted sex offender tried to rape a woman in a business, L.A. police say. They’re searching for other victims
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- A convicted sex offender was arrested within 48 hours of attempting to sexually assault a woman in a downtown Los Angeles business, police said.
- Police are seeking additional potential victims of Joseph Lee Davis, 30, after he was booked on suspicion of attempted rape.
- Davis was convicted of sexual assault last year and placed on probation but failed to comply with sex offender registration requirements, investigators said.
Police are asking for the public’s help to find additional potential victims of a convicted sex offender who was arrested this week on suspicion of attempted rape of a woman inside a business in downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles police said Joseph Lee Davis, 30, entered a business near 8th and Main streets about 5 p.m. Sunday looking for items to steal, but encountered a woman instead. When she yelled at Davis to leave, he tried to restrain her and knocked her to the ground, according to investigators.
Davis then allegedly closed the door behind them, attempted to remove the victim’s pants and grabbed and sexually assaulted her, police said. The woman fought back and ran to a neighboring business. Davis was “escorted out of the business and fled the location,” the Los Angeles Police Department wrote in a news release.
Davis was taken into custody Tuesday at 6th and San Julian streets — just a few blocks from the business — and booked on suspicion of attempted rape, police said.
LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz said officers have already spoken with a second person who said Davis attempted to sexually assault them.
“The victims of the suspect Central officers took into custody will be impacted by his callous acts for a very long time,” Muniz said. “While I am saddened for the victims, I am proud of the diligence and tenacity of our officers and detectives to take him into custody in less than 48 hours.”
Investigators identified Davis using security camera video of him fleeing the business, police said.
Davis was convicted of touching a woman intimately against her will in June and was placed on probation for a year, court records show. He was also required to register as a sex offender, but investigators determined that Davis had failed to comply with registration requirements.
Jail records show that Davis was arrested in December by LAPD’s transit officers on suspicion of a felony. He was subsequently sentenced to 99 days in jail but was released on Jan. 15, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department jail records.
Davis is 6 feet 1 and weighs about 190 pounds. He was wearing a burgundy Nike sweater, blue pants and red sandals during the assault, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD Central Area detectives at (213) 996-1837.
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