Suspect caught in two Uptown sex attacks is convicted sex offender

A convicted sex offender faces new criminal sexual conduct charges after he allegedly attacked a woman on Emerson Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis.

Hennepin County prosecutors said Wednesday Keith Eugene Washington, 39, was interrupted by passersby during the attack early Sunday morning.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman was standing outside talking on the phone when Washington approached her and began talking to her. She found it annoying and began to walk away.

Washington followed her for two blocks. He then tackled and started choking her until she passed out, according to the complaint filed Tuesday. Prosecutors say the assault was interrupted by two adults who were walking and heard muffled screams. But when they approached the victim, Washington allegedly pointed something at them so they fled and called police.

Police found Washington a short time later with the victim's cell phone and identity card. He also had a cell phone, identity card and a bag of groceries of another woman who police said was choked to unconsciousness and sexually assaulted two hours earlier and a few blocks away, the complaint said.

"We believe Mr. Washington is a very dangerous man," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said. "He has a history of choking women until they are unconscious and it is just good fortune that he hasn't killed one of them."

Washington is a level 3 predatory offender who was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2000 for strangling a woman until she lost consciousness and raping her.

Washington is in custody. He makes his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon where prosecutors plan to ask for a $500,000 bail.