A Florida man has been located and is now in police custody almost a year after sexually assaulting a woman he met on a dating app, Law And Crime reported.
According to police records, the victim met Deandre Pritchett on a dating site called “Tagged” in March of 2022. He attempted to hide his identity by going under the name “Ghost.” After a week of consistently messaging each other, the woman paid for a hotel room for the two of them to meet in person for the first time. When the 30-year-old arrived, the victim began to feel uncomfortable and wanted to leave. He then forced himself onto her.
In the midst of the sexual assault, the victim was able to push Pritchett off of her and go to a nearby emergency room. The woman, who was 11 weeks pregnant, was experiencing vaginal bleeding, and was concerned that it would affect her pregnancy. As she was examined by healthcare professionals, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office used surveillance footage from the hotel and photos from his Tagged profile to identify him.
After nearly a year on the run, Deandre Pritchett in Escambia County Jail after being arrested for sexual battery. He is being held on a $40,000 bond, and is scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment on March 31.
