Photo: Stock Image
BERKELEY — An alleged downtown rapist has been arrested by Berkeley PD. The suspect is being held in custody in lieu of $500,000 bond, pending a plea hearing on April 19. The victim was attacked violently and sexually assaulted in a parking lot on a Sunday night last month.
Apparently, a woman victim was stalked while she walked downtown along Shattuck Avenue on March 26. Shortly before 9:30 p.m., she turned onto Blake Street. The man continued following and began attacking her soon thereafter.
She was pushed and shoved into a dark corner, where the suspect commenced sexually assaulting her behind a parked vehicle. The victim and suspect struggled during the ordeal until the suspect finally fled on foot.
Investigators subsequently identified Jonathan Michael Castellanos-Miller, a 20-year-old resident of Concord, as the suspect. Surveillance camera video and DNA evidence implicates Castellanos-Miller with this crime.
On April 4 at 8:56 p.m. Castellanos-Miller was arrested on a warrant by Berkeley PD at his residence in Concord. In addition, police found in his possession suspicious items—replica firearms and handcuffs.
Castellanos-Miller was transported the following day to the county lockup in Dublin. He was booked into Alameda County Santa Rita Jail at 4:21 a.m.
Multiple charges have been filed against Castellanos-Miller including –
- Kidnapping to commit a sex crime PC 209(B)(1)
- Assault with intent to commit a sex crime PC 220(A) (1)
- Forcible rape PC 261(A)(2)
