UPDATED: RIVERSIDE: Convicted sex offender pleads guilty to attacking jogger
UPDATE: Monday, May, 29, 7 p.m.
Kenneth Washington, a registered sex offender, pleaded guilty on Friday to sexual battery. RSO booking photo
RIVERSIDE – A convicted sex offender and Riverside-area transient who stood accused of sexually assaulting a woman who was jogging near Mount Rubidoux in Riverside pleaded guilty Friday, May 26, to misdemeanor sexual battery.
Kenneth Lee Washington, 29, had been charged with grabbing and groping a woman as she passed him on Mission Inn Avenue, just east of the Carlson Dog Park in Riverside.
Washington entered the plea during his arraignment at the Riverside Hall of Justice. According to Superior Court documents, Washington is scheduled to be sentenced July 28.
ORIGINAL STORY: Deputy locates and apprehends registered sex offender after recognizing man’s photo in social media post about sexual battery
RIVERSIDE – A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy who saw a social media post on Facebook about a man wanted for questioning regarding a sexual battery reportedly recognized the man shown in the photo. He later located and apprehended the alleged battery suspect, who turned out to be a registered sex offender and parolee.
The deputy detained the man, identified as Kenneth Lee Washington, a 29-year-old transient from the Riverside area, so Riverside police officers could conduct follow-up to their original investigation.
At the conclusion of their follow-up, during which the victim positively identified Washington as the man who had attacked her, City of Riverside police officers arrested Washington.
He was later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of two counts of sexual battery, false imprisonment and parole violations and he remains in custody, held without bail.
The original incident happened Monday, May 22, about 5:15 p.m., when a woman was assaulted while jogging along Mission Inn Avenue, near Mount Rubidoux, just east of the Carlson Dog Park in Riverside.
The victim, who managed to fight back and break free from her attacker, told investigating officers she was attacked by a “Black, male, adult transient” who accosted her as she ran past him.
After the man grabbed the victim he “committed a sexual battery,” officials explained in a social media press release. The victim attempted to run away “but the suspect continued to grab her.”
The victim was eventually able to get away from her attacker and later reported the incident to the police.
According to officials, “A passerby took a photo of the suspect and later posted it on social media.”
It was not immediately known if the passerby took the photo during or after the woman was assaulted or if the person who posted the photo already had possession of it prior to the assault. A request for clarification from Riverside police officials has not yet been answered.
Shortly thereafter, someone who saw the social media post with the suspect’s photo notified a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy. When the deputy saw the Facebook post with the photo, he reportedly recognized the man as Washington and knew him to be a transient who frequents the Rubidoux area.
Later that evening, Wednesday, May 24, while the deputy was on duty he kept his eyes open for Washington; eventually spotting him about 9:15 p.m., near Mission Boulevard and Mennes Avenue in Rubidoux.
The deputy detained Washington without incident and held him for Riverside PD to conduct further investigation.
The Riverside Police officer who handled the original report was contacted and he conducted follow-up on the investigation, during which the victim positively identified Washington who had assaulted her.
He was subsequently arrested and booked into jail.
An online jail records search revealed Washington is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice May 26.
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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.