Michael Sleeman - Repeat Sex Offender - Raped Realtor

A convicted sex offender pretending to be shopping for a home Sunday afternoon sexually assaulted a Cary realtor, according to Lt. John Szymeczek with Cary police.

Police arrested the suspect hours later.

Police say Michael Sleeman, 33, the suspect, went to look at a model home at 712 Blue Thorn Drive at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

He is expected to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the realtor showed him one model home Sunday. Then Sleeman asked to see a smaller one. That's where, according to police, Sleeman pulled a knife on the realtor, threatened her, and assaulted her.

He is charged with first-degree kidnapping and first-degree forcible sex offense. He is being held on $2 million bond.

Police say the suspect told the realtor details about his life that helped police track him down. During the attack, he also told the victim that he is a convicted sex offender, which led police to search the North Carolina sex offender registry.

When police arrived at the suspect's house at about 9 p.m., Sleeman admitted to the crime.

Sleeman's last known address is 5912 Hollard Farms Way in Raleigh, according to the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry. The registry also says Sleeman was convicted in September 2002 of second-degree sex offense in Chesapeake, Virginia.

"It's one in a million, really. It was really good police work," Lt. John Szymeczek said.

The Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors considers this is an isolated incident. But it has shaken realtors, said Teresa Clark, the association's president-elect.

"Of course we are all very saddened that. We're a pretty close-knit community and it hurts us all when one of us is harmed," she said.

Industry groups train realtors to avoid cases like this. But Clark emphasized that the most important rule is to trust your intuition.

"If something doesn't feel right, don't go there," she said.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte