Ex-Convict Charged In 3 Detroit Rape Cases
DETROIT (WWJ) - An ex-convict from Warren is facing more than 20 felony charges in connection with the sexual assault and armed robbery of three women in Detroit.
Gabrial Cooper, 31, was arraigned Thursday in 36th District Court and is being held on a $2 million bond. He's due back in court for a preliminary exam on Jan. 29.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Cooper was arrested Monday after his most recent assault of a 27-year-old woman at a home on Roselawn Street.
Police say the woman met Cooper online and invited him to her house. Shortly after Cooper arrived, its alleged that he robbed the woman at gunpoint and forced her to undress before sexually assaulting her. Cooper left the woman's house in a van and was later arrested after fleeing the scene of a traffic accident at Prest and Tyler in Detroit.
Worthy said Cooper is also charged with two incidents that occurred in September and December last year.
In an incident that occurred on Sept. 26, police say a 32-year-old woman was walking near Fenkell and Tucker around 10 p.m. when Cooper allegedly ran up behind her and placed a knife to her throat. The woman told police Cooper took her to the back of an abandoned building and sexually assaulted her before robbing her of money and fleeing the scene.
In an incident that occurred on Dec. 29, police say a 33-year-old woman was shoveling snow outside of her home on Plainview Avenue around 9 a.m. when she spotted Cooper in her driveway. The woman alleged that Cooper had a handgun pointed at her and ordered her into her garage where he robbed her. She said Cooper then drove her away in her car to parking lot and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint. After the assault, Cooper allegedly told the woman to get out of the car and shortly thereafter he fled on foot.
The charges against Cooper including criminal sexual conduct of the first and second degree, kidnapping, felonious assault, armed robbery, unlawful driving away of a vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, and felony firearm.
According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, Cooper's criminal record is rather lengthy, including four separate auto theft convictions, two stolen property convictions and two convictions for fleeing police.
