The man who authorities have linked to an armed robbery at a bank on the University of Houston campus last week has also been charged related to a violent kidnapping, sexual assault and attempted robbery last month.
According to court records, Jerome Ruben, 24, is accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a cash store employee after she closed for the night on Dec. 17, 2025.
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Ruben has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated robbery.
He is also facing charges related to an armed robbery at a bank on the University of Houston campus that happened just weeks after the alleged assault. He was also on probation for an aggravated robbery conviction at the time of his new arrest.
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He remains in custody with a combined bond of more than $5 million.
Newly filed court documents described the horrifying details of the alleged attack and how investigators used Flock cameras to piece together evidence and bring the suspect into custody.
“This case highlights how modern technology and interagency collaboration allow law enforcement agencies to provide justice to victims while prioritizing safety,” Baytown Police Department said Monday in a statement announcing Ruben’s charges.
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Details of the assault
The incident, which was investigated as a collaborative effort between South Houston Police Department and Baytown Police Department, allegedly began outside a Baytown business and continued at multiple locations.
Court documents state the victim told investigators she closed up at a Baytown cash store where she worked and walked alone to her car at around 8:30 p.m.
As she headed out, she noticed a four-door sedan with tinted windows parked near a dumpster outside the store.
After driving away, she realized the same vehicle was following her—even speeding through a yellow light to make sure to stay close behind her.
After noticing the other car tailing her, the victim told police she drove around until she felt safe enough to go to her apartment, thinking she had lost the other vehicle. She eventually parked at her apartment complex, located in the City of South Houston, at around 9 p.m.
When she stepped out of her car, she said she was approached by a man armed with a gun.
The victim told investigators the man reportedly wore a black mask that covered his entire face besides his eyes and carried a black bag. She also said he had “a bad odor” omitting from him.
According to the documents, the suspect forced her back into her car and told her they were returning to the cash store, allegedly warning her, “As long as you do what I say, you won’t die.”
Once back at the business, the victim said the suspect ordered her to unlock the store and attempt to access money inside. Court records say she tried entering a distress code instead of the access code, but the system displayed an “invalid code” message. After failing to access money, the suspect allegedly forced her to leave again.
Investigators say the suspect later directed the victim to park near the same dumpster where his vehicle had been seen earlier. It was there, according to court documents, that the first sexual assault occurred.
The victim said she resisted getting into the backseat of her car with the suspect prior to the assault, and he replied, “You want to die? Get in the back.”
Records state the suspect later forced the victim to go back to the cash store to try again, before ultimately returning to her apartment complex, where a second sexual assault allegedly took place.
During the second assault the victim told investigators that the suspect briefly removed his mask and tried to kiss her. She pulled her face away from him, but the gesture allowed her to get a clear view of his face.
How investigators connected Ruben to the case
After the alleged attack, the victim reportedly contacted another employee at the cash store and told him about the entire incident. They soon learned that the cameras inside the business were not working when the attack and robbery happened.
She then contacted South Houston PD and was transported to a hospital for a sexual assault exam.
Surveillance video played a key role in the investigation.
Court records say exterior cameras from a residence across the street from the store captured the victim’s car leaving the business at around the same time she told investigators, before returning later. The footage showed two people walking in front of and exiting the store.
Additional video from a nearby business also corroborated those movements and gave investigators a clearer image of the suspect.
Investigators also reviewed Flock Safety camera footage, which reportedly captured images of the suspect’s vehicle following the victim’s car.
According to the documents, the victim reviewed the footage and confirmed the vehicle based on its description. Police later identified the vehicle by license plate, which linked the suspected car back to 24-year-old Jerome Ruben.
On Jan. 6, 2026, the victim positively identified Ruben in a photo array provided by Texas DPS, according to court records.