Dallas police name serial rape suspect

Police in Dallas have issued an arrest warrant for a man suspected in a series of sex assaults in that city dating back to June.

Van Dralan Dixson, 38, was identified as the suspect after his DNA was matched with one of the rape victims, MyFoxDFW.com reported. The warrant charges Dixson with aggravated sexual assault and deadly conduct and sets bond at $1 million.

Police believe that Dixson is the man who committed the assaults on nine women between June 22 and September 1 in South Dallas. In each case, the assaults took place in the early morning hours when the victims were walking. In each case, an armed man with his face covered forced the women into a secluded area, where they were robbed and sexually assaulted.

The assaults took place next to the southeastern edge of Fair Park near downtown Dallas, where the Texas State Fair will open later this month. Police advised women not to walk near the park early in the morning while the assailant was at large. Some neighborhood residents have criticized authorities for waiting to send out an alert notifying residents of the attacks before a link was established.

WFAA.com reported that Dixson has a criminal record, with convictions for offenses including aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, and resisting arrest.