US-based Guyanese man accused of serial rapes over 11-year period

A Guyanese man, identified as Joshua Dacosta, is facing multiple charges in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, in the United States (US) after being accused of a series of rapes spanning more than a decade, according to Fox23 News.
Law enforcement officials in Tulsa held a press conference on Thursday to announce the charges against Dacosta, who allegedly assaulted several women and teenage girls between 2008 and 2019.
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office worked together with other law enforcement agencies to connect Dacosta, who was living in the US illegally, to four separate cases. Investigators believe he raped four victims: a 20-year-old woman in 2008, a 14-year-old girl in 2013, a 25-year-old woman in 2015, and another 14-year-old girl in 2019.
“Getting this violent offender off the streets has been a top priority,” said Hunter McKee, spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Dacosta’s connection to these cases was confirmed after a DNA sample collected through a court-ordered paternity test in 2019 was uploaded to a national database, linking him to three unsolved cases.
Tulsa County authorities now plan to pursue first-degree rape charges for the 2013 and 2019 cases. However, the case from 2015 remains in limbo as the victim is not currently cooperating, and the victim from 2008 tragically took her own life several years after the assault.
Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado expressed his condolences regarding the victim who passed away, saying, “Her life was deeply impacted by the trauma she endured, but her voice will still be heard as we work to bring justice in her memory.”
During the press conference, Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen commended the bravery of the survivors who came forward to assist in the investigation. “Coming forward and reliving these painful memories takes incredible strength,” he stated. “These young people are helping us ensure this man is held accountable for his actions.”
District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler reiterated that law enforcement is committed to pursuing justice for all victims, no matter how much time has passed. “Victims should know that their voices are heard. We are here to help and to seek justice, however long it may take,” Kunzweiler affirmed.
According to Fox23 News, Dacosta is currently being held in the Tulsa County Jail under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody due to his illegal status.