ST. PETE, Fla. — St. Pete police said a sexual assault investigation led detectives to Illinois to arrest a man they suspect raped a woman here in the Tampa Bay area.
Investigators believe there may be more victims here in the Tampa Bay area.
Detectives said Joshua Abercrombie, 21, met a woman on a social media app and agreed to meet in late November 2025. During their date, Abercrombie allegedly became aggressive and sexually assaulted and choked her repeatedly.
On Jan. 29, 2026, Abercrombie was arrested in Will County, Illinois, stemming from the St. Pete case. Police charged him with sexual battery.
Detectives believe there could be more victims who have not yet come forward. They are urging anyone who believes they may have had contact with Abercrombie under similar circumstances to come forward and contact the St. Pete Police Department at 727-893-7780 or text SPPD at TIP411.
Tampa Bay 28 Mugshot Policy
When a mugshot is used
If the person is still on the loose and a potential threat to the community; if there is a good chance that showing the suspect would help identify additional victims or otherwise protect the public from a serious threat or if the crime or the suspect is of such a significant note that seeing them in a mugshot is in the greater public interest.
Using previous mugshots
Only if the story is specifically talking about that previous crime
We do not show mugshots of victims
This policy started in early 2021
How journalists battle the rise of AI fake news
As News Literacy Week kicks off in partnership with Scripps News, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Michael Paluska sat down with fact-checkers at PolitiFact to learn how they combat misinformation in the age of AI.
