Man arrested for rape in Prince George's County; person of interest in additional rape cases

Prince George's County police have arrested a 48-year-old man for the rape of a woman in Cottage City Wednesday night and they believe he is responsible for a sexual assault in Bladensburg in February.

Police apprehended James William Diggs in Waldorf without incident Friday afternoon and have charged him with first-degree rape for Wednesday's incident.

A 23-year-old woman was walking in the 3800 block of 38th Avenue at around 8:15 p.m. when the suspect grabbed her from behind at knifepoint and forced in a secluded area where she was sexually assaulted before fleeing.

Detectives have also identified Diggs as a suspect in a February 25th sexual assault in Bladensburg. A woman was walking in the 4100 block of 54th street at around 7:20 p.m. where she was approached by a suspect and sexually assaulted in a secluded area.

Police say Diggs is a person of interest in two additional rape cases that occurred in the county last year:

- September 8, 2014 at 6:45 p.m. -- 5100 block of Quincy Street in Bladensburg

- October 20, 2014 at 8:45 p.m. -- 5800 block of Annapolis Road in Cheverly

Police say all of these sexual assault occurred in the evening between 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. and they received similar suspect descriptions in all of the cases.

Police say Diggs has a criminal record and served time in prison in 1982 for robbery and first-degree assault.