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Man gets 11 years behind bars for several crimes including attempted rape and assaulting Virginia Beach officer

Posted at 5:03 PM, Oct 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-20 17:03:57-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A man pleaded guilty Thursday to several charges in connection to multiple crimes including attempted rape, assaulting a police officer and providing a false name to police.

Leonard Gainer III

Leonard Gainer III

According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney, if 34-year-old Leonard Gainer III’s case had gone to trial, evidence would have proven that at about 1 a.m. on May 5, 2014, a 22-year-old woman was walking to her apartment in the Runaway Bay apartment complex when Leonard Gainer grabbed her from behind, knocked her to the ground and attempted to sexually assault her.

The woman fought Gainer off and he fled the area.

The Forensics Unit collected the victim’s clothes and took swabs from her body, attempting to collect and preserve possible DNA left behind by the suspect.

On May 29, 2014, Gainer was found pulling on car handles in the same apartment complex. Police attempted to make contact with him but Gainer assaulted an officer and attempted to flee.

He was then charged with Assault and Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting Arrest.

Further investigation matched Gainer’s DNA with the attacker from the Runaway Bay assault.

He was charged with Attempted Forcible Sodomy while in jail awaiting trial for assaulting the officer on the night he was apprehended.

Investigators also learned that he provided his cousin’s name instead of his own, and he was in jail under this false name. He was then charged with Forgery of a Public Record and Using Identifying Information to Avoid Arrest.

At the time of these offenses, Gainer was on probation for Robbery and a probation violation was initiated by the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. He also has prior convictions for Burglary, Abduction, Conspiracy, Use of a Firearm and Assault and Battery.

Gainer pleaded guilty and was sentenced for Attempted Forcible Sodomy, Assault and Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer, Forgery of a Public Record, Using Identification Documents or Information to Avoid Arrest, Resisting Lawful Arrest, and a Violation of Probation.

He was sentenced to 25 years and 24 months in the Department of Corrections with 14 years and 24 months suspended, leaving 11 years to serve.