RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A Raleigh man wanted for raping a teen girl in October 2019 was captured Tuesday, according to a Wake County arrest warrant.

This was the suspect’s 34th arrest in Wake County, records show.

Kwain Hawkins, 32, was identified as the suspect in the rape of a 15-year-old girl that occurred on Oct. 17, 2019, and warrants were sworn out at that time, Raleigh police said. It wasn’t until Tuesday that Hawkins was located, arrested and charged.

Hawkins is accused of having sexual intercourse with the child, as well as committing other sex acts on her, warrants show. He is facing one count of statutory rape of a child and two counts of indecent liberties with a child.

Prosecutor Katie Pomeroy said in court that Hawkins followed the 15-year-old girl as she got off the school bus near Moore Square.

“She was approached by a stranger who was later identified as this defendant. He began asking her how old she was, whether she was legal if she wanted to smoke marijuana if she wanted to drink,” Pomeroy said,

Pomeroy said the girl tried to ignore the man but took mental notes what he was wearing including a tattoo of a word on his temple.

“He continued to follow her and she was scared to actually stop at her home because she didn’t want him to know where she lived, and also she didn’t want any of her siblings to get hurt,” said Pomeroy.

According to Pomeroy the stranger grabbed the girl and brought her to a secluded area in the park

“He pushed her up against a tree and raped her,” said Pomeroy.

Pomeroy said the girl reported the attack right away and that police were able to pull surveillance video from a school and a nearby apartment complex that showed the victim and suspect in the same area.

Based on the video and the girl’s ability to identify the suspect from a photo, police focused on Hawkins as a suspect. 

Raleigh Police say officers finally tracked him down Tuesday near North Carolina State University campus where he was arrested.

According to records obtained by CBS 17, Hawkins has been arrested in the county 33 times in the past. His most recent previous charges date back to April 2019 when he was charged with failing to appear in court on drug and other charges.

He was also charged with assaulting an officer in 2012, and battery of an unborn child in 2014.

Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said although Hawkins has served time behind bars, most of his past charges are misdemeanors offenses that don’t carry lengthy sentences.

“It was concerning to me to see that there were so many assault charges that had been dismissed over time,” said Freeman of Hawkins’s criminal history.

Freeman said convictions hinge on the prosecution’s ability to prove those case, but that motions to continue several of Hawkins cases were denied when victims weren’t present.

“This is a great example of what happens when victims in domestic violence cases don’t come to court and our ability to move forward,” Freeman said.

In court on Wednesday prosecutors asked Hawkins’ bond be raised to $1.5 million citing the nature of the rape, and his lengthy criminal history. The judge granted the request.

Hawkins is due back in court March 18.