NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Chico Police Department said it has made an arrest in a case involving multiple kidnappings, attempted kidnappings and sexual assaults that have occurred near the California State University campus over the past 18 months.
Police said Tuesday they had arrested 40-year-old Chico resident Lonnie Scott Keith for the kidnappings and assaults in the city's South Campus area.
Keith is employed as a physician's assistant at Oroville Medical Center and Enloe Occupational Health. Police said the married father of four children has no prior arrest record.
The incidents – the most recent of which had occurred last September and October – had targeted college-aged women, according to a report from Lt. Mike O'Brien.
During those specific incidents, the male suspect forced the female victims into the back seat area of a dark-colored sedan – which occurred in September incident – or the rear cargo area of a dark colored, larger SUV, which is what happened in the October assault, O'Brien said.
The suspect then injected both victims with an unknown substance that caused a sedating, drowsy like effect for both. O'Brien said at least one of the victims was then sexually assaulted.
The victim in the September attack described the interior of the suspect vehicle as having blankets and/or sheets covering the windows of the rear passenger compartment. In the October incident, the victim described the rear window of the SUV as being covered to conceal visibility, O'Brien said.
Additionally, the white male suspect was described as wearing rubber/latex gloves in at least one incident, and had a nylon stocking and/or mask over his face. O'Brien said both victims in the most recent assaults had their hands and feet bound with plastic “zip ties” and their eyes covered with tape.
During the early morning hours of Saturday, Jan. 26, Chico Police detectives were engaged in an operation in the South Campus area. O'Brien said that during that operation, a dark colored sedan was observed driving on two occasions in the target area, at approximately 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.
After observing a traffic violation, the vehicle was stopped by detectives. Upon contact with the driver, it was observed by the detectives that the rear passenger compartment had blankets and bedding partially covering the windows, O'Brien said.
The driver, identified as Keith, then provided consent to search his vehicle, according to O'Brien.
Inside the vehicle, in the rear passenger compartment, detectives found blankets and bedding partially covering the rear window and concealing the compartment area, along with two syringes loaded with an unknown clear substance, rubber/latex gloves, several nylons and adhesive tape cut into strips, O'Brien said.
Later, after the service of a search warrant on the vehicle, O'Brien said detectives found a concealed compartment under the front passenger seat that contained metal handcuffs and metal leg restraints, plastic zip ties, multiple syringes and multiple vials of prescription drugs, each with a sedating effect when introduced into the body.
O'Brien said several of the prescription vials contained a specific substance found in one of our victims' toxicology screen after the October kidnap and sexual assault.
In addition, detectives found more rubber/latex gloves, a combination flashlight/stun gun as well as looped zip ties concealed in the trunk of the vehicle. O'Brien said it appeared as if the vehicle was staged for another assault.
Through investigation, it was learned that Keith had sold a dark colored sedan and a dark colored SUV in December of 2012. O'Brien said police have seized both of those vehicles, and pursuant to a search warrant, both will be processed for evidence purposes.
O'Brien emphasized that the investigations remain active, and there is DNA evidence associated with several of the incidents.
He said the DNA and other evidence have been collected and are being forensically processed. There is an additional investigation being conducted by the Butte County Sheriff's Office regarding a similar type incident in their jurisdiction.
Bail was requested at $3.2 million, with Keith making an initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon in Butte County Superior Court, O'Brien said.
O'Brien said Keith was arraigned on two counts of kidnapping, one count of rape and one count of assault with intent to commit rape relating specifically to the September and October assaults.
If convicted, Keith could face a total potential sentence of 32 years to life imprisonment, O'Brien said.