Police: Man with Lengthy Criminal History Assaulted Woman After She Refused His Sexual Advances

A local man with no known address was charged over the weekend with assault with intent to commit sexual abuse after he continued to pursue a woman after she repeatedly said no to his sexual advances.

According to an Iowa City Police criminal complaint, officers responded to the area of Keokuk Street and Cross Park Avenue at 4:56 a.m. on Saturday morning in reference to an assault. 

After an investigation was conducted it was determined by officers that Vernard Archer, 29, had allegedly assaulted a woman while he was trying to get her to have sex with him and continued to assault her after she refused. The woman told police that she kept telling Archer "no," and "pushing his hands away from her intimate areas." The woman said she then fled and was briefly was caught by Archer before being able to escape again.

Archer allegedly struck the woman several times on the face causing bruising and swelling.

He currently is in the Johnson County Jail on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, a Class D Felony, according to online jail records. Online court records show that Archer has a lengthy conviction record, including two separate convictions for first-degree robbery, as well as charges of assault causing serious injury, carrying a firearm while committing a felony, extortion, and a variety of other assault, alcohol, firearm and escaping from custody related charges.