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Oakland County Nabs Alleged Serial Rapist

PONTIAC (CBS Detroit)-- A man with a lengthy criminal record who allegedly raped four women -- all prostitutes -- in separate attacks in Oakland County was arrested and arraigned Monday.

Mark Anthony Johnson, 32, of Pontiac was arraigned in 50th District Court in Pontiac on multiple counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct. He is currently being held in the Oakland County Jail without bond.

The serial attacks were uncovered after one of the women reported an attack to police, and while investigating deputies discovered the other three women who had been victimized.

They said they didn't report it because they didn't think anyone would investigate the rape of prostitutes, deputies said, adding, "Each of these victims thanked the detectives for caring about them enough to seek them out; some becoming very emotional and told the detectives that they did not think anyone cared about them."

"I am extremely proud of our Pontiac Substation's work on investigating and catching this serial rapist. The victims in this or any sexual assault deserve justice" said Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Department said the first two assaults happened in December 2011 and the other two  assaults occurred March 7th and March 21st of 2012, all in the Baldwin Road corridor.

"All victims are admitted prostitutes who work the Baldwin Road corridor," police said in a press release. "In each of the assaults Johnson was armed with a handgun or a knife and took each victim to a nearby abandoned home or an abandoned apartment building."

Deputies said in three of the assaults Johnson approached the victims while in his car; the fourth victim was approached on foot. All of the victims provided similar descriptions of the vehicle as a blue or gray 2010 Chevrolet Impala. The vehicle also was described as having red tape covering the broken right rear tail light.

All the victims were also able to provide the Sheriff's Office with a description of their attacker down to details like the scar on his face and gap in his front teeth. The victims were 28, 32, 33, and 41 years old. Three of these victims were found
in early April by Sheriff's Office Deputies working the Baldwin Road corridor while following up on the first reported assault in the area.

Johnson has the following criminal convictions on his record:

*1993 – Unlawfully Driving Away an Automobile
*1994 – 2 counts Armed Robbery & 2 counts Felony Firearm {sentenced 5-20 years in prison}
*1994 – Assault with a Dangerous Weapon {sentenced 2-4 years in prison}
*2002 – Assault on a Prison Employee {sentenced 93 days – 3 years in prison}
*2009 – Retail Fraud {Given 6 months' probation}
*Johnson served 14 years in prison for the armed robbery and was paroled in 2009, with his parole scheduled to end in 2013.

Detectives believe there may be more victims and are asking anyone who is a victim or has information about a possible victim to call the Sheriff's Office Dispatch at 248-858-4911.

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