SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento man has been arrested for a series of sexual assaults in northern Sacramento that happened between 2013-2014.
JD Wallace Simien, 40, was arrested and is being held without bail at the Sacramento County Jail. He is being charged with rape, oral copulation, robbery and kidnapping someone to commit another crime.
The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office said during the investigation, the suspect was referred to as the "Cloverleaf Rapist" because many of the assaults happened near freeway entrances and exits, resembling a cloverleaf pattern.
Over a span of months, the so-called "Cloverleaf Rapist" attacked three women. The most violent, a victim kidnapped off Auburn Boulevard and driven to Madison Avenue where she was allegedly raped at knifepoint in the car.
Investigators said the cases went cold and weren't solved until recently. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office used Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG), which led them to Simien. This is the same technology that was used to identify Joseph James DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer and East Area Rapist.
IGG, which is also referred to as forensic genealogy, uses DNA from direct-to-consumer companies, such as 23&Me, which states that it may be required to share information with law enforcement in compliance with a "valid court order, subpoena, or search warrant for genetic or personal information."
A neighbor of Simien's who didn't want to be identified said they would wave to him — a husband and father. The news came as a surprise.
"I'm shocked and it's very upsetting."
Simien is set to appear in court for his arrangement on Nov. 8. This will be the sixth IGG case prosecuted in Sacramento County. The district attorney's office said they do not anticipate any more arrests in this case, however, the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about this case can contact the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sexual Assaults Office at (916) 874-3918.
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