Douglass Casey, also known as Douglas Spady, was charged with raping and robbing a Canadian educator visiting Philadelphia, whom he met through the gay hook-up app “GRINDR.” Credit: PPD
Correction: The original headline of this story was “Suspect charged in April GRINDR date-rape and robbery of educator at AERA conference.” The crime in question did not occur at the AERA conference. The headline has been edited to reflect that. We apologize for the error.
UPDATE 3:03 p.m.: Philadelphia Police Department Public Affairs Officer Jillian Russell confirmed that suspect Douglass Casey was charged in Philadelphia after being extradited from Florida, where he was arrested on May 7 in connection with this incident. No information was available about why Casey was arrested in Florida.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Prosecutors announced Monday that the suspect alleged to have sexually assaulted and robbed a Canadian educator he met through GRINDR has been charged and is being held on $1 million bail.
Douglass Casey, 26, reportedly also known as Douglas Spady, is charged with indecent deviant sexual intercourse, sexual assault, robbery, kidnapping for ransom, theft, false imprisonment and other charges, the office of district attorney Seth Williams announced.
The details of when and how Casey was arrested were not immediately available. He was identified as a suspect using video surveillance footage.
The 34-year-old Canadian male victim was visiting Philadelphia for the American Educational Research Association 2014 conference, which was held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in early April.
The victim, an educator, told authorities that he contacted man now alleged to be Casey through the gay hook-up app GRINDR and invited him to his hotel room.
The two met in person around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, at the Hilton Home2Suites Hotel on the 1200 block of Arch Street, according to police reports.
After the two went up to the victim’s hotel room, the man’s date reportedly said that he had a gun and forced the victim into sexual intercourse, according to the victim’s statement.
Afterwards, the victim was allegedly taken to various ATM machines and was forced to withdraw $1,000.
He was also allegedly forced to purchase $2,000 in Visa gift cards.
The victim fled from his captor after he was taken to The Irish Pub at 20th and Walnut streets, police said.
Casey’s next court date is scheduled for June 26, prosecutors said.
