Bond increased for man accused of being 'do-rag rapist' in dozen Cumberland sex assaults

Johnnie B. Green, 45, is facing 65 charges, including several for rape, sexual offense, kidnapping, burglary, breaking and entering and robbery. He had been held in the Cumberland County jail under a $13.5 million bond, which was increased to $14 million.

Green is due to return to court on May 29.

When Green appeared in court, you couldn't hear it, but you could see Green mouthing a profanity-laced denial as he stood in front of District Court Judge Tiffany Whitefield.

The rapes – nine in Fayetteville, two in Cumberland County and one in Hope Mills – occurred between June 2009 and November 2010. Investigators dubbed the attacker the "do-rag rapist" because the victims described a man with a scarf on his head.

Police said the rapist stalked his victims at apartment complexes in several parts of Fayetteville, including Blanton Road, Bragg Boulevard and Cain Road.

"We haven't heard anything as far as a weapon being involved, but home invasions were occurring during various times of night or early in the morning, and then these assaults would take place," Fayetteville police Detective Robert DeShields said at a Tuesday news conference.

Green was recently served an outstanding warrant in a robbery from the 1990s, DeShields said, and DNA taken during his arrest matched DNA in the old sex assaults.

One of the women said she was devastated by the assault.

"I lost my sense of security that I've always had," she said. "It wasn't necessarily the act that has affected me as much as I lost my sense of safety and my sense of security."

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said thousands of rape kits are sitting in evidence across the state, and authorities are working to get them tested.

"We are partnering with the legislature to get the money we need, so once and for all, we can eliminate the backlog here in North Carolina and take steps to make sure that it never develops again," Stein said at the news conference.

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins said the case remains under investigation, and Green could be charged in other unsolved rapes.

One of the rape victims called Green's arrest "empowering" and said it brings her some peace of mind after all these years.

"It makes me very thankful and happy knowing that he, particularly, isn't doing this to other women," she said. "What I've experienced, other women aren't going to anymore."

Anyone with information about the crimes or anyone who needs to report an incident related to Green can call DeShields at 910-433-1856 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-8477.