Suspect ID'd in string of violent gunpoint sex assaults in New Jersey

IRVINGTON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police in New Jersey have identified the suspect they are looking for in a string of violent sex assaults over the past two months.

The incidents began January 17 and have all happened in the vicinity of the Irvington/Newark border, near the intersection of Grove Street and Nye Avenue.

The victims were all adult females walking in the area between the hours of 3 p.m. and 3 a.m. In each incident, the victim was threatened with a handgun.

Now, authorities say 41-year-old Samuel Reed is the man behind the assaults. He reportedly has a criminal background, and detectives are investigating whether he could be linked to other attacks.

Alnisa Hicks is the neighbor of one of the victims, and she says she is now scared to walk alone at night.

"He had the gun to her side," Alnisa Hicks said. "The girl downstairs, he was in the backyard, and the only thing that saved her because a dog started barking. So he ran and jumped the fence."

Reed is described as a black male in his mid-30s, between 5-foot-4 and 5-foot-8, with a dark complexion and a mustache. He also wears a dark-colored hooded jacket.

Residents are urged to use caution when walking in the area.

Detectives are now working with the FBI to track Reed down, but they're also relying on tips. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Irvington Police Department at 973-399-6603.