MANASSAS, Va. – The East Coast rapist suspect has been indicted in Virginia on rape and abduction charges for attacks on three teenage girls on Halloween in 2009.
The girls were trick-or-treating in Prince William County when two of them were raped.
Authorities believe the sexual assaults are among 17 attacks Aaron Thomas carried out in Virginia, Maryland and Connecticut — dating back to the 1990s.
Thomas, 40, was indicted in Prince William County on Tuesday on two counts of rape, three counts of abduction and three felony firearms charges.
His lawyer asked for a two-day jury trial.
It is scheduled to begin on July 31.
Prince William County Chief Prosecutor Paul Ebert says if convicted in the attacks, Thomas could receive several life terms.
During a preliminary hearing about a month ago, the three victims of the attacks testified that a masked man approached them and asked for money, while they were trick-or-treating in Dale City. One of the girls says the man told them not to say anything or he would kill them.
While the girls were not able to identify their attacker because of the mask he wore, police say Thomas was linked to the attacks by DNA evidence.
WTOP’s Mitchell Miller and Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.
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