DNA links Delhi man to rapes

An empty bottle pilfered from a suspect's trash led police to a Delhi Township man who is charged with sexually attacking nine men - one as young as 14 - over the last two years.

Suspicious that James Bohannon was the attacker, Cincinnati police picked up his garbage, rooted through it, found an empty bottle and matched his DNA to a 2004 attack, according to Hamilton County prosecutors.

Once they had the DNA, police returned to the victims who identified Bohannon.

Assistant Prosecutor Mike Bachman said that match to the rape of a 14-year-old boy in a Sedamsville park helped solve eight more attacks, seven of which were within one mile of Bohannon's home. Two attacks were near the University of Cincinnati.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted Bohannon, 27, on 20 charges Monday, including rape, attempted rape, gross sexual imposition, kidnapping and aggravated robbery in eight separate attacks.

Bohannon was indicted Oct. 12 on charges of rape and kidnapping in connection with the rape of the 14-year-old boy in Bold Face Park. Investigators now say that was the second attack.

The victims ranged in age from 14 to 19.

"He is one of the most hideous examples of a child predator we've ever seen," Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said. "These crimes were at gunpoint."

The charges come after three agencies worked to solve the attacks.

"Cincinnati, Delhi and the coroner's office worked together to get these cases solved," said Delhi Police Chief John "Satch" Coletta.

Bohannon's attorney, James Bogen, said his client maintains his innocence.

Serial rapists who target teenage or adult male victims are rare, Xavier University professor Carolyn Jenkins said.

"It's not uncommon to see a pedophile with young boys as victims, the kind of victim they can groom," said Jenkins.

Bachman said several of the victims were traumatized. One transferred schools.

Ann MacDonald, executive director of the Rape Crisis and Abuse Center in Hamilton County, said few men come forward.

"Sometimes men worry people will think they're gay," MacDonald said. "And men worry about a lot of the same issues women do: shame, thoughts of why they didn't fight back, privacy."

For two years - from Aug. 6, 2004, to Sept. 15, 2006 - reports of the attacks mounted.

In each case, the victims were surprised while they were walking alone, often late at night. The assailant then pulled out a gun, Bachman said.

The attacker forced his victims to a secluded area where he would yank their pants down and fondle them or at least try to, Bachman said.

Two calls to Cincinnati police to find out why they didn't announce the attacks were not returned. Seven attacks targeted men walking in Lower Price Hill, West Price Hill, East Price Hill, Delhi Township and Sedamsville.

On two occasions, the rapist is thought to have targeted students, striking in Clifton Heights and University Heights, according to prosecutors.

In May 2005, Bohannon, who at the time worked for Pomeroy Computers, a company hired by Cincinnati Public Schools, was arrested and charged with sexual battery and four charges of rape.

A jury acquitted Bohannon of raping a 16-year-old student in November 2005, and Bohannon had the case expunged.