A St. Paul man who was tracked down by a SWAT team after DNA evidence linked him to three separate sexual assaults on the city’s East Side has pleaded guilty, closing out a case that spanned more than two years and multiple law enforcement agencies. Rakai Eugene Davis admitted guilt to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and he is scheduled to be sentenced in Ramsey County District Court on October 16.
According to CBS News, Davis was accused of carrying out three sexual assaults over roughly two years in St. Paul, each involving people he met through dating apps or websites. St. Paul Police said DNA recovered from all three assaults, citing analysis by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, matched Davis, and investigators say he forced victims into sexual acts by brandishing a knife or handgun.
The case began on May 27, 2023, when Davis, then 16 years old, met a woman through a dating app and threatened her with a knife in the 1700 block of Cottage Avenue East, as reported by FOX 9. He would not be connected to that attack until much later, after DNA evidence tied it to two more assaults committed after he had turned 18.
A Second Attack and a Crucial Piece of Evidence
The second assault happened on November 3, 2024, in the 1700 block of Clear Avenue East, authorities said. During that attack, the victim was struck with a handgun and taken into a garage. Court records reported by FOX 9 revealed the victim intentionally grabbed Davis’s hands and pressed his palms against a vehicle, deliberately leaving fingerprint evidence for police to find…