DETROIT (WWJ) -- A 51-year-old Detroit man has been sentenced to up to 45 years in prison following his conviction in four separate serial sexual assaults dating back as far as 1997, all stemming from untested rape kits.
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced that Akida Diaba Dudley was sentenced Monday to 29 years and 8 months to 45 years in prison for four counts of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct (Weapon Used).
He was also sentenced to 10 to 22 and a half years for four counts of Third-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct (Force or Coercion) with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
A jury found Dudley guilty on all counts on July 9, 2026.
According to the WCPO, Dudley targeted four women who did not know him over a seven-year span across Detroit:
- June 9, 1997: Dudley approached a 30-year-old woman at a bus stop near Grand River and West Warren avenues. Holding her at knifepoint in his car, he drove to another location, sexually assaulted her outside the vehicle, and fled, leaving her behind with little clothing.
- Sept. 22, 1997: At around 1:00 a.m., Dudley offered a ride to a 16-year-old girl standing at a bus stop on Livernois and Fenkell avenues. Believing she recognized him from a motorcycle club, she entered the vehicle. When she refused his demand for sex and tried to escape, Dudley threatened her with an ice pick before sexually assaulting her.
- Feb. 10, 2002: A 28-year-old woman accepted a ride from Dudley near Woodward and Grand River avenues. Once inside, Dudley drove to a nearby alley, produced a knife, and sexually assaulted her.
- Aug. 9, 2004: Dudley forced an 18-year-old woman into his vehicle near Fenkell and Wyoming avenues using what appeared to be a gun, which was later revealed to be a knife. He drove her to an unknown location, sexually assaulted her, and dropped her off on Seven Mile Road.
In every case, a sexual assault kit was completed at the time of the incident and turned over to Detroit Police, but sat untested in evidence storage for years.
The cases were eventually reopened by detectives with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Sexual Assault Kit Task Force. The Wayne County Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested Dudley on April 14, 2025, and he was formally charged two days later.
"The four survivors in this case have been waiting many years for justice and accountability. Today they received justice," Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. "They will never get back what was violently taken from them and I hope that this brings them some semblance of closure."
Worthy noted that since the county launched its sexual assault initiative to process backlogged kits, the prosecutor's office has convicted more than 270 rapists.
"We are proud of our survivors that stood up and bravely went through the criminal justice process," Worthy said. "And I am proud of my staff for relentlessly pursuing this work."
