By Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 3, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG — A 55-year-old registered sex offender repeatedly raped a woman he held captive in his apartment for several hours early Saturday morning, according to St. Petersburg police.
Earnest Napper, also known as Ernest Napper, was arrested Saturday afternoon on charges of sexual battery by threat of force or violence and false imprisonment.
The 24-year-old victim, who was not identified by police, said she does not know Napper. It is also the policy of the St. Petersburg Times not to identify sexual assault victims.
The woman met her alleged attacker about 1:30 a.m. outside his building and asked for a cigarette, she told police. Napper told her to come up to his apartment in the 500 block of Ninth Avenue N to get it, police said.
Once inside, police said, Napper shut the door and locked it. He ...