CLEVELAND — The man wanted for allegedly attacking multiple women in Tremont in October has been taken into custody, according to the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force.
Kevin Ballard, 27, was arrested on Monday after nearly a month as a fugitive wanted for abduction, aggravated burglary, kidnapping and gross sexual imposition following incidents that occurred in Tremont.
Police said Ballard followed a woman leaving a coffee shop, grabbed her and attempted to pull her when she threw her coffee on him. He then fled the scene.
He later approached a woman on a porch and pushed her inside of the residence, strangling her, police said. The woman screamed and fought Ballard off, and he fled in a vehicle.
Ballard allegedly sexually assaulted a woman later that day at a Target on West 117th Street.
A woman reported she was in the greeting cards section when she noticed someone was following her. Questioning herself, she looked around but didn’t see anyone.
She told security that as she continued to read the cards, an unknown man walked up to her “out of nowhere," went behind her, firmly grabbed her crotch area with his hands and made a lewd comment to her before he walked away, the report said.
Security footage captured a man believed to be Ballard following the woman through the store.
Police discovered Ballard’s identity during further investigation.
Ballard, who was released from prison on Sept. 25, was also wanted for a parole violation.
The U.S. Marshals task force and Cleveland police arrested Ballard in Cleveland. He was located at a bus stop near Euclid Avenue and Green Road and attempted to flee on foot. Ballard was eventually placed into custody after being tracked down and bitten by K-9 units, authorities said.
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