A public records request made by The Ledger last year has led to the arrest of a suspect whose DNA was found in a rape kit that had been left untouched for years, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.

WINTER HAVEN — A public records request made by The Ledger last year has led to the arrest of a suspect whose DNA was found in a rape kit that had been left untouched for years, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.

This marks the second arrest WHPD detectives have made as a result of the inquiry. Last year, Rodrecious Hamilton, 44, was arrested by WHPD detectives after his DNA was found in a kit that had been sitting on the shelf since 2010.

On Friday morning, 45-year-old Stephen J. Berouty, who has been living with his mother in Lake Alfred, was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault with a deadly weapon, after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement lab matched his DNA to a rape kit from 2003 that had been submitted for further analysis. His DNA had been collected after an earlier arrest.

“As I have said from the beginning: every single rape kit should be tested,” said retired circuit judge Robert Doyel, who has been advocating for processing untested kits. “Chief Charlie Bird has been a leader on rape kit issues and I congratulate him and WHPD for staying the course and making this arrest.”

In May 2015, The Ledger submitted public records requests to all Polk County law enforcement agencies regarding rape kits; specifically, how many rape kits being held in their evidence rooms had gone untested.

The request revealed that, countywide, 833 kits, dating to 2000, remained untested.

Since then, all local agencies have submitted their untested kits to FDLE labs for testing.

“Whenever [The Ledger] did the public records request we had to look at it and see what we could do — sometimes those things are every positive,” Bird said. “And now we’ve got two (suspects arrested).”

According to reports, a woman was driving in the area of Second Street and Post Avenue SW in Winter Haven just before midnight June 6, 2003, when she spotted Berouty walking along the road.

The woman, who told detectives Berouty “looked harmless,” offered him a ride.

Berouty got in the car and offered to buy her something to eat if she would take him to Taco Bell. The pair got food and went to the boat ramp at Lake Howard Drive and Central Avenue to eat.

While talking and eating in the car, Berouty kissed her. The woman felt uncomfortable and they both left the car, continuing to talk and eat on a bench before, according to reports, Berouty kissed her again and tried to unbutton her jeans.

The woman resisted and Berouty pulled a knife, saying “You’ll do what I want or else I’m gonna hurt you,” according to reports.

Fearing for her life, she did as he said.

Berouty sexually assaulted her and left, according to reports, and responding officers were not able to find him.

The woman, who was able to describe Berouty but did not know his name, was taken to a hospital with a laceration to her neck and a sexual assault kit was collected. Detectives had no suspects at that time.

After The Ledger's request, WHPD officials found the kit had never been submitted to the FDLE. When this discovery was made, it was sent for analysis and results were returned in January of this year, listing Berouty as a possible match.

In March, detectives located Berouty and obtained a DNA swab for comparison.

Berouty denied knowing the woman, but after processing, the FDLE found his DNA to be a match, and the test results were sent to the State Attorney’s office, along with a case file, for review.

On Friday, a warrant was issued for Berouty’s arrest.

“It is very encouraging that they were able to bring these charges,” Assistant State Attorney Brian Haas said. “Certainly it is delayed but we are going to try very hard to get justice for the victim.”

Berouty, who has been in and out of the Polk County jail 24 times on numerous charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is currently being held without bail, charged with sexual battery with a deadly weapon.

“The victim was extremely relieved,” Bird said. “When we do this… when we make an arrest… it really helps the victim find closure.”

Law enforcement agencies across Polk County continue to receive results from FDLE, but so far, according to officials who responded to inquiries, only Winter Haven has seen such success.

“We will just have to wait and see as all the results come in,” Haas said. “If there are more we are ready and willing to work with law enforcement to put the cases together and move forward on charges if sufficient evidence is there.”