Suspect in Parkview assault faces extradition

City police might soon extradite back to Pittsburgh the man they believe entered a Pitt… City police might soon extradite back to Pittsburgh the man they believe entered a Pitt student’s home on Parkview Avenue this September and sexually assaulted her, staying in her room for nearly two hours.

Akaninyene Efiong Akan, 29, of San Clemente, Calif., is being held in an Orange County, Calif., jail after police in the Golden State arrested him on Dec. 13 on a  warrant from Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania police issued a warrant for Akan’s arrest in late November after matching DNA on a cigarette he dropped in front of police to DNA collected from the crime scene on the 3300 block of Parkview Avenue.

An identity hearing — a procedural step in the extradition process — on Dec. 23 found that Akan was the man specified in the Pennsylvania warrant, and he was remanded without bail to await extradition, said Julie Butler, the Orange County assistant district attorney working on the case.

Pennsylvania has 90 days from the identity hearing to issue a governor’s warrant to extradite Akan to Pittsburgh for a trial, she said.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s office is seeking that warrant from the governor’s office to extradite Akan, spokesman Mike Manko said.

Joseph Dane, Akan’s attorney, said he advised Akan not to waive his right to an identity hearing, as Akan’s identity would be an issue given the charges against him.

Dane said that he represented Akan only for the extradition process and could not comment on the underlying charges. Dane said that Akan’s family was looking into securing representation for him in Pittsburgh. Akan’s family could not be reached for comment.

Court documents filed in Allegheny County and available online do not list a defense attorney for Akan.

A female Pitt student reported to police on Sept. 12 that she had been sexually assaulted by a man who entered her bedroom in a house on the 3300 block of Parkview Avenue early that morning, police spokeswoman Diane Richard said.

The victim told police that the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs woke her at 5 a.m., Richard said. The victim said an unknown man told her not to make any noise, under risk of bodily harm.

The victim’s roommate heard noises and called to check up on her, according to police reports. The victim, fearing for her life, replied that she was O.K., Richard said.

The man then sexually assaulted the victim, leaving at about 7 a.m. Other roommates were not harmed.

Police set up a perimeter to catch the suspect but were unsuccessful.

Richard said the man entered the residence through a lower front window. The window had a broken lock.

Police first spoke to Akan five days after the incident on Parkview Avenue, Pitt spokesman John Fedele said. Police stopped and questioned him as he exited a car parked on Bates Street. During the interview, Akan asked one of the officers for a cigarette. Police asked him several questions, and he was not arrested at that time. Akan dropped the cigarette on the ground before leaving.

Fedele said that police took that cigarette and sent it to the Allegheny County Crime Lab, where the DNA was matched to DNA taken from the crime scene.

On Nov. 30, Allegheny County issued an arrest warrant for Akan. Thirteen days later, Costa Mesa police and U.S. Marshals cooperated to arrest Akan in Orange County, Butler said.

The Pitt News does not release the names of rape victims.