Man arrested after woman sexually assaulted in east Las Vegas park

Las Vegas police arrested a man this week after a woman was sexually assaulted in an east Las Vegas park earlier this month, and detectives believe the man might be a suspect in other open cases.

Joseph Warren, 34, was arrested Tuesday on charges of sexual assault, kidnapping, battery to commit sexual assault and two counts of open and gross lewdness.

The park assault happened March 1. A woman was walking in the area of Freedom Park, 850 N. Mojave Road, when a man whom she did not know approached her, then forced her into the park and sexually assaulted her.

Warren already was a registered sex offender when he was arrested, records show. Police said Warren was booked Wednesday in connection with a separate open and gross lewdness case from February, which occurred close to Freedom Park.

“He had an area,” Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Dave Valenta, who works with the sex crimes unit, said Thursday. Valenta described Warren as a “prolific serial offender.”

Police said Warren was named as a suspect in the two cases this week through investigative and forensic work. Warren’s arrest report was not immediately available.

Detectives believe Warren might be a suspect in other open cases. Anyone with information may contact the Metropolitan Police Department sex crimes unit at 702-828-3421.

Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @rachelacrosby on Twitter.