CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Victims and residents of one Charlotte apartment complex are now breathing a sigh of relief. A man is heading to prison after he admitted to raping three women that lived next to him.
Officers said Phillip Payton, 24, lived in the same apartment complex as his victims and worked at a nearby store.
On Monday, Eyewitness News spoke with one of his victims over the phone. She did not want to speak on camera about what happened, but said she is glad Payton is going to prison.
Patt Rail said she remembers when her neighborhood was terrorized by a man who police said back in 2009 dressed in black, wore a mask and broke into apartments sexually assaulting three women.
"I had to go to work, but I was afraid to go out. I was really paranoid. It was really a scary time," she said.
On Monday, Payton pleaded guilty in connection with those attacks – to two counts of second-degree rape, one count of second-degree sex offense and three counts of burglary.
"I am glad he owned up to it," she said.
Eyewitness News was there when Payton was arrested in 2009. At the time, he denied any wrongdoing.
The District Attorney's Office said Payton used some kind of chemical to blur the victim's vision, and that DNA left at the scene linked the crimes to him.
One woman, who did not want to show her face, said she is glad this is over. She said she remembers receiving notes from the office reminding residents to be aware.
"We used to run to our houses because we used to be paranoid," said Rail. "I am getting goose-bumpy now because I was petrified thinking it happened to them, it could easily happen to me."
Payton will be at least 58 years oldwhen he is released from prison.
When he is, the judge said he will have to register a sex offender.
WSOC
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