Police: Alabama rape suspect found with 400 pairs of women’s panties

DOTHAN, Ala. — An Alabama man is accused of breaking into an acquaintance’s home to sexually assault her, and later was found in possession of more than 400 pairs of used women’s panties, authorities said.

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John Thomas Uda, 27, of Dothan, was arrested July 14 and charged with attempted rape, three counts of burglary, aggravated criminal surveillance, two counts of illegal possession of a credit card and 50 counts of voyeurism, according to Houston County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.

Dothan Police Lt. Scott Owens said the investigation began on July 10 when police responded to a burglary in progress, the Dothan Eagle reported.

“The victim alleged that a male intruder came in and that she and the suspect fought physically,” Owens told the newspaper. “She received minor injuries for which she received treatment at a local hospital.”

The victim told investigators that she noticed a gaming console was missing from her home after Uda left, AL.com reported. After police checked out the console’s serial number, they learned it had been sold the day before the home invasion, the website reported.

Uda later admitted to investigators that he stole the console on July 1 and later sold it, the Eagle reported.

Police arrested Uda and executed a search warrant on his residence, Owens told the newspaper. Owens said investigators discovered more than 400 women’s undergarments, including mostly panties and some bras.

“We have a theory that some were bought online because there is a marketplace for that,’' Owens told AL.com.

Owens added that police had confronted Uda in 2019 for stealing undergarments from his apartment’s community laundry room, the Eagle reported.

Authorities also found electronic devices that provocatively showed women, according to AL.com. Owens said more than 50 photos taken by Uda showed two acquaintances from the neck down, according to the Eagle.

Uda also had several photos of one of the victim’s debit cards and her son’s Social Security card, the newspaper reported.

Investigators were able to link Uda to a separate incident in which they said he gave a woman a ride home and later tried to watch her undress, AL.com reported.

Uda’s bail was set at $995,000, online records show.

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