A Vancouver man already in custody for allegedly paying two teenage girls for sex is now facing a slew of new sex abuse charges after investigators say they found more than a dozen additional victims.
Julius A. Owolabi, 54, appeared Wednesday via Zoom in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of 15 counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, three counts of third-degree rape of a child, three counts of commercial sexual abuse of a minor and one count of second-degree possessing depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Owolabi has been in custody at the Clark County Jail on $50,000 bail since August. He was already facing two counts of third-degree rape of a child and two counts of commercial sex abuse of a minor. He will be arraigned on the new charges Dec. 16. A motion to reduce his bail was denied Wednesday.
Vancouver police received information in August about Owolabi displaying “grooming” behaviors with girls between the ages of 14 and 17, by providing them with marijuana, alcohol, vaping supplies and cash. In return, Owolabi demanded the girls send him inappropriate photos and videos via Snapchat, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Detectives began watching Owolabi’s residence and followed him around town. He was followed Aug. 13 to an apartment complex on Northeast 112th Avenue, where he picked up two girls ages 14 and 15. He drove off, nearly causing a crash in the 1500 block of 136th Avenue, at which point police stopped the vehicle, the affidavit says.
One of the girls told police she was introduced to Owolabi three or four months prior by a friend. She estimated that he gave her and the other girl marijuana at least 20 times, along with other items, the court document states.
Both girls said Owolabi earlier in August arranged to pick them up and take them to his residence. They smoked marijuana together, and he paid both for sex. The teens said Owolabi had the same plan for that day, according to the affidavit.
Following his arrest, investigators obtained search warrants for his vehicle, residence, computers and cellphone, and identified more than 20 additional female victims. Most were cooperative with investigators, according to a newly filed probable cause affidavit.
“During this investigation, Julius Owolabi exhibited the same pattern of behavior with all the young females he met/or was introduced to,” the affidavit reads.
Owolabi would provide the girls with marijuana, alcohol, vaping supplies, food, cash, cellphones and clothing in exchange for nude photos. Several of the girls sent stock photos from the internet, but some did provide their own photos, according to the affidavit.
He then would become more aggressive and ask for sexual favors; sometimes he would pay extra for them or threaten to stop giving the girls things, the affidavit says.
The new probable cause affidavit lists 16 victims, all between the ages of 14 and 17.
