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MLive report: Wilder stalked victims before assaults

September 21, 2013
<p>Oswald Scott Wilder</p>

Oswald Scott Wilder

Oswald Scott Wilder, the man accused of committing four sexual assaults this summer in East Lansing, allegedly stalked his victims in a local Meijer before later assaulting them, according to a report from MLive Lansing.

An East Lansing police report obtained by MLive states surveillance footage from a Meijer store in East Lansing, 1350 W. Lake Lansing Rd., reportedly shows the 26-year-old Vernon, Mich. resident following women, including the sexual assault victims, throughout the aisles. The footage also showed him taking photos of women from behind with his cell phone.

Wilder is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for a pre-trial conference.

MLive reports police obtained footage from the store showing the Wilder’s visit the night of the April 20 assault, which occurred on Coolidge Road. Wilder passed the victim in an aisle, and when she left out of the west exit on foot, he followed her in a yellow car heading toward Coolidge Road.

East Lansing police could not confirm the contents of the police report Saturday.

Wilder confessed to authorities that he committed all four of the sexual assaults he is accused of between March 30 and May 16, East Lansing police Capt. Murphy said.

Murphy told The State News Friday that police did not initially connect Wilder to a reported assault that occurred March 30, during which the victim was grabbed from behind on the 1100 block of Grand River Avenue, until he admitted guilt along with the other three attacks.

Wilder is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of assault with intent to commit sexual penetration and one count of gross indecency between male and female by a sexually delinquent person and is considered a habitual offender.

He also faces an additional first-degree criminal sexual conduct and an unlawful imprisonment charge for the March 30 assault.

Although court records show Wilder has committed a series of petty crimes and felonies, none of his previous crimes have been sexual in nature.

Wilder currently is being held in Ingham County jail with no bond, and could face life in prison if he is convicted.

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