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Fla. man convicted of 1 rape, suspected in more

A man suspected of sneaking into Florida homes at night and raping six women and girls, the youngest 7 years old, was convicted in one of the attacks and is expected to face life in prison.
/ Source: The Associated Press

A man suspected of sneaking into homes at night and raping six women and girls, the youngest just 7 years old, was convicted in one of the attacks and is expected to face life in prison.

Sedrick Williams, 31, was found guilty Wednesday of two counts of armed sexual battery and one count of armed burglary with assault. Williams, who has 21 prior convictions, showed no emotion when the verdict was read.

He is scheduled to be sentenced next month and faces life in prison on each charge. He has yet to be tried for the other attacks.

Defense attorney Abe Bailey said Williams will appeal.

Assistant State Attorney Laura Adams told jurors that Williams entered an unlocked door at the victim’s house and held a gun to her head while he raped her twice. The victim testified that her attacker said he would kill her and her family if she didn’t follow his demands.

Police believe Williams is the so-called North Dade rapist, a man suspected of raping women and girls, ages 7 and 37, in their own beds from December 2002 to November 2003. The man’s face was covered in each attack and he held a weapon to his victims’ heads as he raped them, authorities said.

Williams was arrested in 2005 after investigators used DNA evidence to link him to the crimes.

Adams said to save the other victims the trauma of testifying, she might offer Williams a deal under which he would receive concurrent life sentences, rather than consecutive sentences, if he pleads guilty.