A Sparks man, in custody in Storey County on suspicion of sexual assault, kidnapping and possession of a stolen vehicle, is being investigated for similar crimes in the Reno area.
Ronald Ray Harris, 29, an unemployed flooring installer, was arrested at 5:30 a.m. April 29 on suspicion of felony kidnapping, sexual assault and possession of a stolen vehicle.
On Tuesday, Steve Frady, public information officer for the Reno Police Department, said Harris is suspected in "two or three similar crimes in the Reno area," and Reno detectives are working with Storey County.
Last month, a Storey County deputy spotted a vehicle parked in a canyon in Lockwood and ran the plates on the vehicle, which came back as stolen. Harris, who was in the driver's seat, was arrested at that time.
When the deputy talked with the female passenger, she told him she'd met Harris at a Reno casino the previous evening, and at some point he abducted her, drove her to the Lockwood canyon and raped her.
Harris has denied the passenger's version of events, and said the contact was consensual.
Harris was suspected in a similar assault at the same location on April 3, but the victim didn't want to cooperate. After Harris was arrested, she was contacted again and identified Harris from a photo lineup, according to Storey County Sheriff's Detective Tony Dozen.
Both women are in their mid- to late-20s.
Harris is scheduled to appear in Storey County Justice Court at 10 a.m. on Thursday. He is charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of kidnapping and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle.
Harris is currently being held on $225,000 bail.
• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
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