Man offered woman place to sleep, then raped her, Oregon cops say. More victims feared
A man accused of raping multiple women at his Oregon apartment has been arrested, police say.
Paul Clay Jr., 49, is facing a slew of charges in connection to the sexual assaults of women at his Portland apartment, the Portland Police Bureau said in a March 28 news release.
A woman told police on June 26, 2023, that a week earlier Clay persuaded her to visit his new apartment.
After entering his apartment, the woman said Clay threatened to assault her if she did not perform sex acts with him, police said.
Clay continued to physically and sexually assault her for several days, police said.
The woman told police she escaped the apartment while Clay slept.
Then, nearly a year later, a different woman told police on April 22, 2024, she had been raped by a man, later identified as Clay.
The woman “was looking for a place to sleep,” and Clay offered to let her sleep in his apartment, police said.
Several days later, the woman checked her phone and realized “her family had reported her missing,” police said.
“Presumably because he thought this might bring attention to him, Clay became violent, and both physically and sexually assaulted” the woman, police said.
The woman told police she escaped and called for help.
During an investigation, detectives spoke with several witnesses in the area, police said.
The witnesses told detectives that “over the years” they had spoken to “five or six distraught women” as they left Clay’s apartment, police said.
The women told witnesses that Clay lured them to the apartment under the guise that he would help them, police said.
A grand jury indicted Clay on multiple charges, including five counts of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, second-degree strangulation, two counts of coercion, two counts of fourth-degree assault and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, according to police.
Clay was arrested March 27, police said. He is being held without bail, jail records show.
Given Clay’s history, police said they “believe it is highly likely there are additional victims.”
Anyone with information about Clay is asked to reference case #24-99820 while contacting Detective William Congdon at william.congdon@police.portlandoregon.gov or Detective Mitchell Orellana at mitchell.orellana@police.portlandoregon.gov.
This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Man offered woman place to sleep, then raped her, Oregon cops say. More victims feared."
