Police say rape victim had prior relationship with attacker

Police say a woman raped at gunpoint by a former car salesman who allegedly found her address off a credit report had a prior relationship with the man.

Investigators Thursday said they still believed an aggravated rape took place and that they are not minimizing the crime, but they don't believe the attack was completely random as originally reported, said West Valley Assistant Police Chief Craig Black.

Cleon Jones, 34, was arrested Feb. 15 on multiple first-degree felonies after an 18-year-old woman said she was raped at her West Valley apartment. The victim told police that her attacker, a car salesman at Stockton to Malone Honda, 10860 Auto Mall Drive (120 West), had used the credit application she filled out at the dealership to track her down.

She told police the man threatened to kill her and her family, saying that he knew where they lived "due to his employment."

But after additional investigation and speaking with witnesses, Black said detectives now believe the story is only half true.

"The initial information she gave out was not complete," he said. "Information has come to light that she did know who he was . . . we do have information these two had a prior relationship before the alleged sexual assault took place. There is evidence to suggest to us that her involvement with this guy included them both being involved in some criminal activity."

As for whether the man ever told the woman he tracked down her family using her credit application, "That statement is highly suspect to me right now based on what I know,"

But he also stressed that regardless of their prior relationship, "she didn't deserve to have this happen. He is still a predator."

Jones, who is wanted on a parole violation out of San Bernardino, Calif., where he served nine years of a 16-year sentence for manslaughter beginning in 1993, still faces a potential aggravated rape charge based on the West Valley incident.

In addition, federal charges will likely be screened against Jones for drug and firearms violations. Investigators found drugs and a gun stolen out of Nevada during a search of Jones' apartment.

Jones had worked at Stockton to Malone from the spring of 2003 until Feb. 10 of this year.

Black was very complimentary of Stockton to Malone Thursday, saying the company had been very open and forthcoming about Jones. He said the dealership did nothing wrong and their business practices should not be questioned.