Police: Man offers women cigarettes before sexual assaults

Charles Carter's arrest concerns women in West Moncrief Road area

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police investigating two recent sexual assaults on West Moncrief Road arrested a 30-year-old man based on a DNA match with the victims.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Charles Carter was booked Sunday on two felony counts and ordered held on $1 million bond.

Sex crimes investigators said two women came forward at separate times, but reported being attacked in the same geographic area. Both women said the man offered them cigarettes before they were attacked.

"What brought it to our attention was it was in the same area geographically, and it was the same ruse used both times to get victims into (an) abandoned building," Special Assault Unit Lt. Sharon Scott said.

Police asked that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to expedite the DNA tests, and when the results were a match with Carter, they obtained an arrest warrant. While waiting for the results, officers watched the area in case there were additional attacks. 

Ronnie Dawsey and her friend, Faith Hamilton, told News4Jax on Monday that they were shocked and stunned by the arrest of the man they both know.

"I see him every day, so I was kind of scared," Dawsey said. 

Hamilton said Carter was close to her family, and had once dated her aunt.

"He used to be around us," Hamilton said. "So it's, like, you know us. To us, it looks shameful because you know our kids, all that."

Dawsey and Hamilton said they're now concerned because there are so many children who live in the area. They both plan to continue to take precautions when they're outside.

"These men are out here talking to females every day, yelling at them, just all types of crazy stuff. So I just walk around with my Mace when I do walk to the store," Dawsey said.

According to court records, Carter had domestic violence injunctions filed against him in 2009 and 2014 and was arrested in 2014 and 2015 on a charge of violation of injunction for protection against domestic violence.

Police are asking any other women who might have been approached by Carter to call them at 904-630-0500.