An 18-year-old Gaithersburg man was being held Monday at the Montgomery County Detention Center pending a $100,000 bail after authorities said he confessed to a string of 10 robberies and sexual assaults.
Gaithersburg detectives and county police officers arrested Dion Harvey Montgomery, of Duvall Lane, on Friday after receiving an anonymous tip to the Crime Solvers hotline number.
“We’d had a composite photo made, sent out a press release, had fliers all over the community and somebody heard about the case and gave us the suspect’s name,” Gaithersburg Police Chief John King said. “He was targeting Latina women, a group that traditionally under reports crimes, especially ones of a sexual nature. We think there are probably more than 10 incidents he’s responsible for, so we’re still asking for victims to come forward.”
Police officials said the suspect often would engage his victims in simple conversation, asking them things like “What time is it?” or “Do you live around here?” He would then fondle victims’ breasts and buttocks before grabbing their purses. Some victims reported he was armed with a knife.
King said that after hearing from the tipster, officers got a picture of Montgomery, and he was positively identified by one of the victims through the photo. Officers then searched his home and recovered items that implicated him in the crimes. Confronted with the evidence, authorities say Montgomery confessed.
In relation to one of the 10 incidents, Montgomery is charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, third-degree sex offense, armed robbery, possession of a dangerous concealed weapon and reckless endangerment. King says other charges are expected.
