Police Believe They Have Arrested a Man Known as the Georgetown Cuddler — Details Explained
"This man was a predator, and his intent was not to cuddle these women; his intent was to rape them."
Published Oct. 2 2024, 9:49 p.m. ET
From 2006 to 2012, multiple women in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. reported being sexually assaulted by a stranger while they were asleep in their beds. Most of the victims were either current students or recent graduates of Georgetown University, per ABC 7 News.
Around the same time, similar instances of sexual assault were reported by women around the University of Maryland College Park as well as the Glover Park area of D.C. In an effort to deal with what was happening, terrified students began calling this man the Georgetown Cuddler. These cases remained unsolved for over a decade until an arrest was made in October 2024.
Who is the Georgetown Cuddler? Here's what we know.
Who is the Georgetown Cuddler? A suspect has been arrested.
On October 1, 54-year-old Ernesto Mercado was arrested by police at his home near Arlington, Va. Authorities used forensic genetic genealogy and evidence gathered from the assaults to zero in on Mercado as a prime suspect.
They previously confirmed he lived in the College Park area between 2002 and 2007.
Mercado allegedly broke into people's homes and primarily targeted women who were intoxicated, with the intent of raping them. He has also been accused of stalking and peeping tom-type activities.
According to the victims, nothing was stolen during these incidents. Police are also investigating whether or not Mercado could be involved in other similar cases in the same areas.
He has been charged with "three counts of sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances and five counts of second-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances," reported NBC Washington.
Metropolitan Police Department investigator Alexander MacBean told the outlet that despite the nickname, "this man was a predator, and his intent was not to cuddle these women; his intent was to rape them."
Mercado is currently being held without bond.
His next court date is scheduled for October 10.
