Seattle Police arrest man accused of attempted rape while out on DOC work release

Seattle Police arrest man accused of attempted rape while out on DOC work release; victim speaks out

Seattle Police have arrested a man who was wanted for attempted rape and robbery he allegedly committed while he was still in the custody of the Department of Corrections (DOC) under a work release program.

SEATTLE - Seattle Police have arrested a man who was wanted for attempted rape and robbery he allegedly committed while he was still in the custody of the Department of Corrections (DOC) under a work release program.

On Aug. 30, officials say 31-year-old Jordan Alexander escaped his DOC work release program. He was serving time in prison for a bank robbery and was released early. The work release program, which is granted based on certain criteria, would allow him to work a full-time job while under partial confinement, with the ability to leave the center.

A day after he left his work release, police say Alexander came into a woman's business in Seattle's Madison Valley neighborhood, pulled a knife on her and allegedly tried to rape her-- all while the woman was on the phone with her dad.

Surveillance footage from a nearby business was able to help identify Alexander as a suspect.

Seattle Police asked for the public's assistance in locating him on Sept. 12. He was arrested on Dec. 1 in the 1300 block of NE 43rd Street in the University District. He was booked into the King County Jail for first-degree robbery and first-degree rape.

Prosecutors argued that he be held on $300,000 bail.

RELATED: Woman recounts terrifying attempted rape, robbery while she was on the phone with her father

Alexander's release and escape

Alexander, a convicted bank robber sentenced to 43 months in prison and who was still in Department of Corrections custody, was able to become a suspect in an attempted rape in Seattle.

Documents we obtained show Alexander was sentenced to 43 months in prison, following a bank robbery. He was sentenced in July 2021.

In July of 2022, DOC officials say Alexander arrived at a work release center in Seattle. Here he would work a full-time job, while under partial confinement, with the ability to leave the center.

To be eligible for work release there are several eligibility expectations, including having a record of good behavior.

Another parameter for work release states that anyone with 12 months, or six months if eligible, left on their sentence can be referred to work release.

However, Alexander served about 12 months of his 43-month sentence.

DOC officials say he also received what is known as "earned release time".

Earned release time is where a prisoner’s sentence is reduced for good behavior and good performance.

DOC officials say Alexander’s earned release time date was Oct. 10, 2022. That would have equaled about 35% of his total original 43-month sentence.

However, he did not make it to that date. On Aug. 30, DOC reports Alexander escaped his work release.

The next day is when Seattle Police say he attacked the victim in Madison Valley.

In September, FOX 13 News reached out to the DOC for an on-camera interview. They responded with this statement:

"DOC takes these situations extremely seriously, and understands how frightening they can be for the community.

Mr. Alexander was scheduled to release from prison on October 14, 2022. Providing the individual a less restrictive housing assignment in a reentry center prior to release provides a higher likelihood of success upon his inevitable release. DOC uses a rigorous risk-based system to determine eligibility for work release for each individual in our custody. It includes analyzing the nature of the crime committed, the length of their sentence and whether or not they have displayed good behavior. Using that evidence-based method, DOC determined that a less restrictive, partial confinement was the appropriate option in this case to provide Alexander with the services he needs for a successful reentry.

DOC is working with all law enforcement agencies within that jurisdiction including Seattle Police department to ensure that this individual is brought back into custody as quickly as possible."