Idaho man arrested in 22-year-old Oakley kidnap, rape of girl

DNA match for former East Contra Costa resident Eric J. Ferguson; U.S. Marshals, Idaho police, sheriff’s deputies assist in SWAT team operation

By Allen D. Payton

A suspect in a 22-year-old case of sexual assault of a girl in Oakley was identified and arrested this past week. Eric J. Ferguson, age 49 of Rathdrum, Idaho previously lived in Eastern Contra Costa County.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard provided the following information:

In April 2002, a sexual assault accord near Laurel Road in Oakley that involved a juvenile female who had been out walking her dog. The juvenile was approached by a man who got out of his vehicle, pointed a gun at her, ordered her into the back seat of the vehicle and ordered her to perform several sexual acts at gun point. At some point, the juvenile escaped.

The juvenile went to a nearby house for help and the police were called. DNA was collected and analyzed as part of the investigative protocol. In 2022, a CODIS hit alerted the Oakley Police Department to a possible DNA match from the sexual assault case in 2002.

CODIS, or Combined DNA Index System, is a national database that contains DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crimes and missing persons. The database also includes profiles from detainees, legal samples and arrestees. CODIS automatically searches its indexes for matching DNA profiles, which allows law enforcement to cross reference their data to learn the identity of suspects of confirm identities.

The CODIS notification identified a man residing in Northern Idaho. With this information, Oakley Police Detectives began coordinating with the U.S. Marshals Service and a detective from Coeur d’Alene Police Department. Oakley Police Detectives Gill and Pistello travelled to Idaho on May 12, 2024, and were assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service, Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office in serving a search warrant for DNA collection from the lead suspect in the case.

Detectives Gill and Pistello traveled back home and presented DNA from the lead suspect to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Laboratory so it could be compared to the DNA in the sexual assault case; the DNA from the lead suspect was a direct match to the DNA recovered during the initial investigation in 2002.

On May 16, 2024, Oakley Detectives presented the case to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and a formal complaint was filed against the man, who is identified as Eric J. Ferguson (49, Rathdrum, Idaho). Ferguson is a former resident of the East Contra Costa County area (he lives in the area in 2002). The formal complaint was signed by a judge from the Contra Costa County Superior Court, for the charges of: Rape of an Incompetent Person, Forcible Oral Copulation and Kidnapping for Rape.

On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service, Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, utilizing their SWAT team, conducted an operation which brought Ferguson into custody. Oakley Detectives Gill and Pistello will bring Ferguson back to California later this week and book him into the Contra Costa County jail for the crimes that were committed 22 years ago.

According to Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Zachary Sifford, Ferguson was 29 yearsold at that time and allegedly used a dangerous or deadly weapon during the commission of the crimes.

“I am truly in awe of all the work that was put into this case,” said Chief Beard. “Everything from the foresight 22 years ago to collect DNA evidence to all of the cooperation and assistance we received along the way has yielded powerful results. I owe a debt of gratitude to all of the involved men and women of the United States Marshals Service, Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office who helped us with this case. I am well informed by my people that a great deal of hospitality was extended to them while they did their work in Idaho. For that I am especially grateful for how my people were taken care of and treated.

“I am extremely proud of Detective Gill and Detective Pistello for bearing down on this case and putting in all of the diligent and intricate work that was needed to bring resolve to this longstanding investigation. The work of Detective Gill and Detective Pistello are indicative of what I have come to expect out of the men and women of the Oakley Police Department – good police work, no matter how many jurisdictional lines that need to be crossed.

“Again, thank you to all who were involved in this case; stay safe, Oakley.”

As of Wednesday morning, May 22, Ferguson was still in custody of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office at the Kootenai County Jail awaiting extradition.

Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris said, “Kootenai County is a safer place because Ferguson is now in jail. A firearm was used in this alleged violent sexual attack and the suspect needs to be held accountable for his actions.”

United States Marshal for the District of Idaho, Brent Bunn, expressed his gratitude for the interstate collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies in order to get one step closer to bringing justice to the victim in this case. U.S. Marshal Bunn noted, “The persistence of the Oakley Police Department detectives throughout this investigation was exceptional.” U.S. Marshal Bunn also commends the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Idaho Department of Corrections for their partnership and strong commitment to increasing public safety in North Idaho.”

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the USMS, Coeur d’ Alene Police Department and the Oakley Police Department for their assistance and collaboration in the investigation and apprehension of Ferguson.

According to Ferguson’s Facebook profile, he is from San Ramon, has been married since October 23, 2004, attended De La Salle High School and studied at San Diego State University.

Oakley Police provided the following additional information: If you or a loved one needs local support related to sexual assault or family violence, please visit Community Violence Solutions at https://cvsolutions.org/rape-crisis-center/.