Police Say North Bethesda Man Charged With Rape May Have More Victims
Courtesy of MCPD
A North Bethesda man has been charged with multiple sex offenses for incidents that police say occurred in October 2017 and January 2019.
Austin Blaine Vann of North Bethesda, 29, allegedly committed sexual offenses against two women that police are aware of.
Vann met the first woman in July 2017 at a party, police say. According to police, the woman left some of her belongings in Vann’s vehicle; she later contacted Vann to retrieve these items, police say.
Police say Vann met the woman outside of her home in October 2017, but he didn’t bring her belongings. Instead, police say that Vann asked the woman to come to his apartment, which is located on Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda.
Police say that that the woman waited at the door to the apartment as Vann went inside to get her belongings. Rather than getting her items, police say Vann pulled the woman into his apartment, assaulted her, and attempted to rape her.
Vann left the area after raping the woman, but police say he was later arrested in California on March 1, 2018. Once he was arrested, police say Vann was “extradited back to Maryland.”
Because of this alleged assault and attempted rape, police charged Vann with “Attempted 1st Degree Rape, Attempted 2nd Degree Rape, 1st Degree Assault, 2nd Degree Assault, and a 4th Degree Sex Offense.” Police say that Vann was released on bond.
In January 2019, Vann used the name “Austin” on social media, police say. Through social media and text messaging, police say Vann met another woman — the second known victim — using this pseudonym.
On January 8, police say Vann met the woman in person at a North Bethesda restaurant. Police say that the woman was drinking at the bar, but when she used the bathroom she “left her drink unattended several times.”
Police say that the woman has no recollection of leaving the bar. According to police, the next thing that the woman remembers is finding herself in a bathroom with Vann raping her.
Police say that the woman was found near Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda — the same area where Vann raped the other woman from October 2017.
Vann was arrested on March 25 and police say he’s been charged with second-degree rape. According to police, “Van is currently committed at the Montgomery County Detention Center awaiting trial.
Anyone with information about Vann can contact the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240.773.5400.
Police say, “Investigators are concerned there may be additional victims related to encounters with Austin Blaine Vann due to his use of social media platforms to engage victims.”
Engage us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Tweets by @mymcmedia