HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston police have arrested a 62-year-old Atascocita man after linking him to four rapes spanning multiple decades.<\/p>\n
Phillip Cerf was taken into custody on Tuesday morning and charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault.<\/p>\n
Police began investigating in June 1997 when a now-deceased woman told them a man, since identified as Cerf, offered her a ride as she was out walking in Acres Homes.<\/p>\n
The victim told investigators that Cerf drove her to a ballpark in Independence Heights and raped her six times at gunpoint before hitting her in the back of the head with the gun.<\/p>\n
Police linked Cerf to another rape in April 2009.<\/p>\n
Court documents revealed that the victim told police that Cerf and a woman named Cookie lured her into a car with drugs.<\/p>\n
After driving around for about 20 minutes, the victim said the other woman got out and that Cerf drove her to an Acres Homes graveyard, according to court documents.<\/p>\n
He’s accused of pulling a gun on the victim before raping and choking her.<\/p>\n
Investigators released a sketch of Cerf following another rape in June 2013.<\/p>\n
The victim said she was walking in north Houston and accepted a ride from Cerf after mistaking him for someone she knew.<\/p>\n
Police say he drove the woman to a vacant lot, put a knife to her neck and raped her. After the attack, he allegedly ordered her out of the car and sped off.<\/p>\n
Police say another woman was raped in north Houston in July 2016 after accepting a ride from Cerf.<\/p>\n
She told detectives that Cerf showed her a gun in his waistband before raping her and ordering her out of the car.<\/p>\n
According to court documents, investigators linked all four rapes together in July 2025 and developed Cerf as a suspect in February this year.<\/p>\n
Undercover officers began surveilling him at his Atascocita apartment in April and were able to obtain his DNA for testing.<\/p>\n
After an officer saw him spit on the ground, charging documents say police swabbed his saliva and that it matched DNA collected from all four victims.<\/p>\n
During an interview with investigators Tuesday, Cerf denied raping the victims. He also claimed he’s never owned a gun or given rides.<\/p>\n
His bond was set at $2 million.<\/p>\n
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