A man arrested last year for two brutal sexual assaults has pleaded no contest to a volley of charges. Dane County Judge John Markson received the plea on Friday November 16th, 2007 and subsequently found Antonio L. Pope, age 31, of Madison, guilty of Kidnapping (2 counts), & 1st Degree Sexual Assault-with the use of a Dangerous Weapon (2 counts).

Two UW-Madison students, ages 18 and 20, reported to Madison & UW police that they were pulled into a car at knifepoint in separate attacks that occurred on November 29, 2006 and December 9, 2006. In both cases the victims were bound, blindfolded and taken from the campus area to a Fitchburg apartment where they were sexually assaulted.

Mr. Pope was arrested thanks to a DNA match.

The Madison Police Department, and the UW Police Department would like to publicly thank the dedication and hard work by staff at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Madison for their speedy analysis in this case, which enabled police to take Mr. Pope into custody.

Without the forensic scientists it is quite probable Mr. Pope would have alluded apprehension for an unknown period of time potentially putting more women at risk, and allowing community fear to linger.