New Video Released Of Sex Assault Suspect; $10K Reward Offered

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office released new security camera footage Saturday of a man who is sought in connection with three sexual assault cases, and a $10,000 reward has been offered for his capture.

Law enforcement officials believe the suspect tried to sexually assault a 12-year-old girl Thursday on her way home from school and may be connected to two other similar incidents involving teen girls in Bradenton, including a Jan. 31 rape of a 15-year-old.

The 12-year-old girl fended off a would-be sexual assault Thursday afternoon when a man grabbed her from behind in the rear parking lot of in the 5500 block of 26th Street West. When the girl told him there were people in the area and that he better leave, he fled toward 28th Street West.

Security camera footage captured part of Thursday's incident on tape.

New footage released Saturday was taken at prior to Thursday's incident and shows a man matching the suspect's description -- a black male, approximately 30 to 40 years old, about 6 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. He was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and black shorts at the time of the incident.

The Gold Star Club of Manatee County is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in these cases. Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.

In the Jan. 31 case investigated by the Bradenton Police Department, a suspect with a similar description grabbed a 15-year-old girl from behind while she was walking in the 4900 block of 47th Avenue West, threw her to the ground and raped her, then fled.

The sheriff's office investigated a similar incident Nov. 29 in which a 15-year-old girl was grabbed from behind but resisted, forcing the suspect to flee.