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Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Riley Washington Jr., 36, was arrested early this morning and charged with groping a young woman the previous night; he is also the suspect in a series of incidents in which college-aged women were groped under their skirts while walking in the midtown area.
The first reported incident was in July, and that victim said a black male matching Washington’s description approached her, engaged her in conversation, and “grabbed” her “butt” when she turned away; he then fled. On August 30, a black male matching Washington’s description reached under the skirt of a female college student standing outside her apartment and grabbed her genitals; when she turned toward him, he ran. That victim chased him and saw him get into a pickup truck.
On September 4, a female college student reported that a black male matching Washington’s description grabbed her buttocks from behind and then ran northbound. On September 6, a female college student reported that a black male matching Washington’s description pulled up her skirt while she was walking down the street.
At about 2:40 a.m. on September 11, a female victim was walking home by herself in the midtown area and was locked out of her apartment; while she waited for her roommate to answer the phone, a black male suddenly appeared next to her and asked her where the “party” was. She said there was no party, and the man grabbed her arms and then sexually battered her with his fingers. She pushed away from him, and he ran.
A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Detective noted that the physical descriptions given by these victims were very similar and the incidents happened in the same area of town; she also noted that parents had been posting on UF’s parent forums about incidents in which their daughters were followed or chased over the past few months by a black male with the same description.
At 3:04 a.m. on September 11, a female college student called the University of Florida Police Department to report that she saw a dark-colored pickup truck, driven by a black male, driving in circles three times; she said the truck was “creaky,” and she continued to hear the “creaking” after she entered her apartment, causing her to grow concerned.
Traffic cameras near the caller’s apartment showed the tag on the “creaky” truck, and it is registered to Washington; the GPD Detective noted that he has a history of stalking women since 2019. The detective also reviewed body camera footage from a July 2025 traffic stop of the truck, confirming that the truck’s owner matched the description provided by the victims.
Surveillance cameras from the area of the September 11 incident reportedly show the victim walking home while a dark-colored pickup truck drives quickly by; the front bumper on the pickup truck can be seen hanging down, and detectives observed that Washington’s truck also has a front bumper hanging down.
The detective noted that Washington’s tag has been recorded frequently in the midtown area, and the truck was seen on the evening of September 11 (the night after the September 11 early-morning incident), driving through the midtown area, “specifically the NW and SW quadrants of Gainesville, where the reported sexual assaults have been occurring.”
At about 1:30 a.m. on September 12, Washington reportedly parked his truck in the 1800 block of NW 5th Avenue and was seen hiding in the bushes nearby a short time later. When Washington saw officers and a GPD K-9 unit, he allegedly fled and was apprehended when he tried to cross University Avenue onto campus.
A resident of the home where Washington allegedly hid in the bushes told officers that she has been hearing noises outside her bedroom window for about a week, and once she saw the face of a black male in her bedroom window and described the shape of the face as “oval.”
Post Miranda, Washington was reportedly unable to provide an explanation for his behavior and eventually admitted to all of the incidents described above. He reportedly said he needs help and took responsibility for his actions.
The detective noted that additional charges are expected to be filed, and she believes that there may be numerous unreported incidents involving Washington. Both GPD and UFPD urge anyone who may have had a similar encounter with Washington or has information related to this case to come forward.
Washington has been charged with sexual battery, stalking, and prowling. He has one local felony conviction from 2009, but his full criminal history is currently unavailable. Bail will be set Saturday morning.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.