Man accused of trying to abduct woman at Pentagon City due in court

Man accused of trying to abduct woman at Pentagon City due in court

A man accused of an attempted abduction in Arlington remains in custody and is due in court Friday morning.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A man accused of an attempted abduction in Arlington remains in custody and is due in court Friday morning.

Police say he tried to take a teenager from a local mall, and this is not his first offense. FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick reports that the incident is especially disturbing not only because of the aggression the young woman described, but because the suspect has been accused in a series of prior attacks.

Koby Berry, 28, of Reston, is charged with felony attempted abduction with intent to defile, as well as assault and battery.

A 19‑year‑old Nordstrom shopper at the Pentagon City Mall told police that Berry locked eyes with her in a store, followed her into a hallway, pushed her into a restroom and covered her mouth with his hand. She said she slipped under his arm, and when he tried to grab her again, she tripped and fell but managed to run out of the bathroom screaming.

RELATED: Suspect arrested after attempted abduction in Pentagon City

A Nordstrom employee saw the suspect and called Arlington County police. Berry was arrested nearby.

Berry has faced several misdemeanor charges in Fairfax County over the past year, including assault and battery, theft and indecent exposure. Some of those charges are tied to a series of assaults along the W&OD Trail in Reston, and another involved inappropriate touching at a store in Reston.

Last week, he received suspended sentences with 12 months of probation for two assault and battery charges. He also has a pending court date for the October 30 W&OD Trail incident.

In this case, Arlington County police say Berry denied trying to sexually assault the teen.