Milwaukee man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting 2 women



Jovon Bethly



MILWAUKEE -- A 29-year-old Milwaukee man is facing charges -- accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women. The attacks happened in Milwaukee and Wauwatosa in September.

Jovon Bethly is facing the following charges:


    According to the criminal complaint, on Saturday, Sept. 1 around 7:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 28th Street and Richardson Place in Milwaukee for the report of an abduction.

    Wisconsin Athletic Club



    The victim told police she was walking home with her boyfriend when they were approached by a suspect in a van. The victim told officers the suspect, later identified as Jovon Bethly, pointed a gun at her boyfriend and asked him "where the money was at." The victim's boyfriend approached Bethly and showed him he did not have anything. That's when Bethly allegedly told the victim to "get in the car." The victim told police she complied, because she feared her boyfriend would be shot if she did not.

    The complaint indicates Bethly then drove from the area of 28th and Richardson to 28th and Kilbourn, where he pulled over and sexually assaulted the victim. Bethly then drove the victim to the area of 27th and Kilbourn and let her go.

    A week later, on Sunday, Sept. 9, Wauwatosa officers were dispatched to the Wisconsin Athletic Club on Watertown Plank Road around 10:15 a.m. for a possible kidnapping, sexual assault and aggravated battery report.



    According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police she was running with her dog northbound on N. 87th Street, just east of the Wisconsin Athletic Club, when a man exited a gray minivan and displayed a handgun. He allegedly told the victim to leave the dog and get in the vehicle.

    "I'm glad they caught him. I came here with my daughter running a few times. She's running this trail pretty often, so it scared me. I don't know the details of how they caught him, but it's good to get him off the streets," a runner said Monday evening.

    The complaint indicates Bethly drove to an undeveloped area of the Milwaukee County Grounds just north of 87th and Watertown Plank Road and parked. Once parked, he sexually assaulted the victim.

    Barry Weber



    During the assault, the victim told detectives she tried to escape and that's when Bethly "started punching her in her face and smacked her head on the driver's side front window", according to the criminal complaint. The victim received a broken tooth.

    After the assault,  Bethly told the victim he would kill her and her family if she told anyone. He then dropped her off in the same spot he kidnapped her from.

    "This is one that frightens all citizens -- an abduction by an unknown person. I am absolutely sickened by the incident. We are so fortunate she was able to survive and get away. Our victim is a survivor, and in my opinion, a hero. She was able to survive these incidents after being treated violently and provided the info. we needed to build a strong case," said Barry Weber, Wauwatosa police chief.



    Both women identified Bethly as their attacker during a lineup.

    Bethly made his initial appearance in court on Sept. 15. A preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 24, and cash bond was set at $250,000.

    If convicted on all charges, Bethly faces up to 244 years in prison. He has prior convictions for burglary and robbery.