Man charged in sexual assault in Adams Point

Police able to ID suspect after he used benefits card

A 35-year-old man has been charged in the sexual assault of a 70-year-old woman Feb. 13 inside an Adams Point building, according to authorities and court records.

Police were able to identify him through his use of his personal electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, card in the area shortly after the attack, according to court records.

The suspect, Derrick White, who was arrested Tuesday, was charged Wednesday with forcible rape and forcible oral copulation. The charges include enhancement allegations of kidnapping to commit the crimes and that the victim was particularly vulnerable because of her age.

The victim was assaulted about 11:30 a.m. Feb. 13 inside a restroom she was forced into within a building in the 200 block of Grand Avenue. The woman did not know the attacker.

The attacker fled on foot after the attack and was able to elude police at the time.

According to court records, after the attack police canvassed the area looking for surveillance video of the suspect. Several businesses and other properties were contacted and police discovered that at one of them, the suspect had used his EBT card to make a purchase and there was also video of him.

With that information, police were able to identify White as the suspect and the victim later identified him in a photo lineup, the records say.

White was noted to be wearing distinctive clothing at the time of the attack, and some of it was recovered when he was arrested by police and U.S. Marshals at his North Oakland home, the records state.

According to the records, White was convicted of felony accessory after the fact in January 2009 in Alameda County and received a prison term. He was also convicted of felony assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury in Alameda County in July 2013 and was placed on probation. Details of those convictions were not immediately available.

He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail.