Victorville man arrested after using dating app to sexually assault & rob Riverside victim – Search for other victims continuing
RIVERSIDE, Calif., — Authorities say a Victorville man has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault and robbery that occurred in Riverside on Monday, March 7. According to officials, the alleged suspect had used a popular dating app to lure the victim to a location where he attempted to rape and then robbed her at gunpoint.
Officials say that based on the alleged suspect’s Internet activities they believe there may be additional victims who have yet to come forward or be identified and are continuing their investigation into other possible attacks and robberies.
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On Thursday, March 17, City of Riverside Police detectives assigned to the department’s Sexual Assault – Child Abuse Unit, with assistance from their METRO Team as part of their participation on the U.S. Marshals Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force, served a search warrant related to the ongoing sexual assault investigation at the alleged suspect’s Kimberly Drive residence in the city of Victorville.
Dejaun Jones of Victorville has been charged with sexually assaulting and robbing a Riverside victim earlier this month. Riverside PD photo
As a result of the search warrant, officials arrested 23-year-old Dejaun Ramon Jones for the March 7 sexual assault and robbery.
“While conducting this joint investigation with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and San Bernardino Police Department’s Specialized Crime Unit, investigators learned Dejaun Jones was active on dating apps and social media where he had met women online,” said Riverside PD. “The assaults took place once these meetings occurred.”
“Dejaun Jones was armed during the encounters and it is believed he preyed upon women less likely to report the crimes to law enforcement, such as youth and sex workers,” officials went on to explain.
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Jones was transported back to Riverside County where he was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of assault with intent to rape, sexual assault, and robbery.
Online jail records indicate he remains in custody in lieu of $275,000 bail or bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice on March 29.
Anyone with additional information related to this investigation and arrest or who believes they were or may have been victimized by Jones is urged to immediately contact Riverside Police Detective Melissa Brazil at [email protected] or (951) 353-7950, San Bernardino Police Criminal Investigator Georgianna West at [email protected] or (909) 384-5621, or Deputy Edward Oliveros of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department – Victorville Station at (760) 241-2911. Callers can refer to incident file number 220006336 and can remain anonymous.
After Jones’ arrest, officials used the opportunity to remind those who engage in online dating and use dating apps of a few safety tips provided by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), a national sexual assault hotline and website to help prevent sexual violence, assist survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice:
▪️ Use different photos for your dating profile
▪️ Avoid connecting with suspicious profiles
▪️ Check out your potential date on social media
▪️ Video chat before you meet up in person
▪️ Tell a friend where you will be meeting and for how long
▪️ Meet in a well-lit, populated, public place
▪️ Don’t rely on your date for transportation
▪️ Don’t overindulge in alcohol or substances
▪️ Trust your instincts and always be aware of your surroundings
More safety information and resources can be found at www.rainn.org.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.