Accused rapist arrested after 22 years thanks to DNA analysis: Police

(KRON) – According to Oakley Police, Eric Ferguson was arrested for a sexual assault that occurred in 2002.

In early May, Oakley Police received a notification from the Combine DNA Index System (CODIS) regarding a possible DNA match from a 2002 kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor. The police department then coordinated its investigation with the U.S. Marshals Service and a detective from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

The suspect was identified as 49-year-old Eric Ferguson, currently residing in Rathdrum, Idaho. Ferguson lived in eastern Contra Costa County at the time of the rape.

On May 12, Oakley investigators, along with the United States Marshals Service, Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, traveled to Idaho to execute a search warrant for DNA collection in Ferguson in connection with this case.

Oakley Police investigators returned to the Bay Area to ask the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office lab to compare samples from the search warrant and the original case. According to Oakley Police, Ferguson’s DNA was a direct match to DNA collected in 2002.

A judge signed a formal complaint filed against Ferguson on May 16. That same day, authorities involved deployed their SWAT team to arrest Ferguson.

Ferguson was arrested and booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on charges of rape of an incompetent person, forcible oral sex, and kidnapping for the purpose of rape.