Arrest Made in Georgetown Serial Assault Cold Cases

Ernesto Mercado, 54, was charged with multiple sexual assaults after DNA evidence linked him to crimes from 2008 to 2012.

Ernesto Mercado, known as the 'Georgetown Cuddler,' was arrested in Arlington, Virginia, for a series of sexual assaults near Georgetown and the University of Maryland campuses.
Mercado faces charges for five home-invasion sexual assaults in Washington, D.C., and one in Maryland, occurring between 2008 and 2012.
Authorities used advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy to link Mercado to the crimes after years of investigation.
The suspect could face a life sentence if convicted of sexual offenses related to two different victims, as stated by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.
Investigators are seeking additional information on other unsolved sexual assault cases potentially connected to Mercado.