Montgomery County police have charged a teen in connection with sex offenses allegedly committed this week against women while they were walking or jogging in the area of Snowden Farm and Little Seneca parkways in Clarksburg.
Ibn Muhammad Rosario, 18, of Clarksburg was arrested Thursday and charged with four counts of fourth-degree sexual offense and four counts of second-degree assault, county police announced Friday afternoon in a news release.
Rosario, who was free on pre-trial supervision at the time of his arrest, is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. Montgomery County District Court records indicate Rosario was charged March 8 with second-degree assault. His trial in that case is scheduled for June 7.
Bryton Weathers, who is representing Rosario on Thursday’s charges through the state public defender’s office, described Rosario on Friday as a child “going through a difficult time.” He said he is planning to ask the court to place Rosario in a mental health facility.
“He is not somebody that the community should fear, but somebody that the community should provide” support for, Weathers said.
According to police, the assaults occurred Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The suspect allegedly “groped or touched the victims and, in two of the four cases, made lewd comments to the women,” all of whom reported the incidents to police and provided a description of the suspect, the release said.
Police increased patrols in the area after the reports, according to the release. On Thursday morning, Rosario was arrested after an officer with the department’s 5th District Special Assignment Team spotted a person matching the suspect’s description walking in the roundabout at Little Seneca and Snowden Farm parkways.
“The officer then observed Rosario approach a female and grope her. The victim defended herself and Rosario ran away in the direction of Elm Forest Court,” the release said.
Investigators said they are concerned there may be additional victims and urge anyone who may have been victimized to contact the 5th District Patrol Investigations Unit at 240-773-6263.
