Suspect charged in sexual assaults near Lake Merritt

Police arrested one person on suspicion of a series of sexual assaults on women near Oakland’s Lake Merritt, authorities said Thursday.

The Alameda County District Attorney charged Isaiah Meleke Lawrence, 20, with rape, attempted rape and robbery, kidnapping and robbery.

He is being held without bail.

The arrest came in connection with the Police Department’s Special Victims Unit investigation of sexual assaults that occurred in the Lake Merritt and downtown Oakland area over the past two months, officials said.

According to documents obtained from the district attorney’s office, on Nov. 30, Lawrence approached a 23yearold woman at about 9: 18 p. m., pointed a gun at her and attempted to rob her, but she was not carrying any valuables.

Police said Lawrence then attempted to rape the woman by dragging her on the ground, but a neighbor yelled at him to stop.

Later that night, Lawrence approached a 29yearold woman near Vernon Street and Moss Avenue, pressed a gun to her back and forced her inside a Toyota Prius, where he raped and robbed her, according to documents from the district attorney.

Lawrence then drove to the Bank of the West at 3400 Lakeshore and tried to force the woman to withdraw all of her bank funds. She was unable to withdraw money, and she walked inside the bank and asked for help. Police said Lawrence drove away soon after.

Officials connected Lawrence to the attempted rape of a woman near Broadway and Thomas L. Berkley Way in Downtown Oakland on July 8. The woman had gotten off the bus and was on her way home when Lawrence approached her. The woman declined his advancements, and after a brief struggle, she called the police and ran away.

The woman positively identified Lawrence on Dec. 3.

Lawrence was taken into custody, and officials said they recovered a firearm.