Police have charged a 23-year-old man with a 2017 sexual assault which took place at Franklin Park.

The Ames Police announced during a press conference Tuesday at 1 p.m. that Devontez David Voigts, a former Ames resident, was charged with two class “A” felonies—sexual assault in the first degree and kidnapping in the first degree—as well as willful injury causing serious injury which is a class “C” felony.

On Jan. 14, 2017, the victim, who is in between 20 and 30 years old, was taken from her car and dragged into Franklin Park where she was sexually assaulted multiple times and strangled by the assailant. The victim sustained several injuries during the assault. 

Immediately following the incident, Cmdr. Geoff Huff of the Ames Police said there was a possible on-going threat to the community. He also said this incident was atypical to other sexual assaults in the area because the victim did not know the assailant. 

There were no other direct witnesses other than the victim.

Voigts was served the arrest warrants and brought to the Story County Jail as of Tuesday morning. 

“It’s certainly satisfying to be able to charge the case,” Huff said at the press conference. “Right now our focus is on the victim and making sure that she’s prepared, that she wants to go forward with the case which she did and she’s a strong individual and we’re all pretty impressed with her and so the next stage of this will be preparing for trial.”

The investigation took over a year due to the time it takes to process DNA evidence. 

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact the Ames Police Department at (515) 239-5133 or the anonymous tip line at (515) 239-5533.