DC-area serial sexual assault suspect in country illegally, ICE says

A man charged in at least five sexual assault cases in the D.C. area has been in the United States illegally, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Santiago Rodriquez Campos is facing charges for four sexual assaults in Washington D.C. that authorities say happened in 2016 and 2018. The 34-year-old is also facing charges for another sexual assault in Arlington County in 2017.

Rodriguez Campos was taken into custody by officers on Aug. 5 in D.C. during an alleged sex assault in Northwest D.C. Police said they chased him down after Campos tried to flee from the officers while also removing articles of his clothing during the pursuit.

Police were able to link Rodriguez to the five sexual assaults after DNA recovered from a cup of water he was drinking while he was in custody matched the DNA connected those cases.

"On Aug. 6, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) lodged a detainer on unlawfully present Mexican national Santiago Rodriguez Campos following his arrest on local charges," ICE said in a statement.