A Carrollton man has been charged in multiple Denton County aggravated sexual assault cases, and investigators believe there are additional victims across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to news releases.
Carlton Tambaoga, 25, is booked in the Denton County Jail on six felony sexual assault charges out of the Denton Police Department and Carrollton Police Department. His bail is set at $2.2 million.
Denton police charged Tambaoga with one count of aggravated sexual assault. Carrollton police charged him with three counts of aggravated sexual assault, one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of sexual assault.
Investigators believe Tambaoga may have sexually assaulted additional people throughout North Texas, Houston and Atlanta who have not come forward yet.
Tambaoga is HIV-positive and knew he was infected with HIV before all of the Denton and Carrollton sexual assaults, according to the news releases.
The earliest offense date of the charges is from July 2022 in Denton. Tambaoga was a Denton resident at the time, Denton police spokesperson Amy Cunningham said.
A woman reported that a man she did not know sexually assaulted her in the 500 block of Inman Street. She and the man had no contact before the sexual assault, Cunningham said.
After a forensic examination, the unknown suspect’s DNA profile was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) law enforcement database. There were no matches at the time.
In February, Carrollton police detectives notified the Denton Police Department that they had arrested a suspect in similar sexual assault cases there.
Carrollton police responded to a report of an assault at an area hospital on Feb. 11. They arrested Tambaoga within 24 hours.
The release states that the initial investigation led Special Victims Unit detectives to identify a person whom Tambaoga had allegedly sexually assaulted.
Carrollton detectives have identified and contacted four additional people they suspect Tambaoga sexually assaulted, according to the release.
As more evidence emerges, the release states, Carrollton police area still working to reach other possible victims in Texas and Georgia. However, the release states that the Police Department recognizes survivors are understandably hesitant to contact police.
The Carrollton and Denton departments urge sexual assault survivors to contact a local victims’ advocacy program, such as Denton County Friends of the Family. The nonprofit’s 24-hour crisis line is available via call or text at 940-382-7273.
These programs can offer confidential assistance such as counseling services, advocacy services, medical referrals, legal services and more. Additionally, sexual assault survivors have the right to request an advocate be present when they report to their local Texas police department.
The Carrollton Police Department asks that anyone with information concerning Tambaoga call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Denton police ask that anyone with any information about Tambaoga or unreported assaults in Denton contact Detective Marqui Curtis at 940-349-7727.
BROOKE COLOMBO can be reached at 940-566-6882 and bcolombo@dentonrc.com.