Repeat Sex Offender Convicted of Aggravated Rape

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Major Crimes Unit obtained a conviction against a repeat sex offender who raped a woman in a North Knoxville laundromat. Arthur Lee Jefferson, 56, was convicted of Aggravated Rape and received a sentence of eighteen years in prison without the possibility of parole.

In a plea colloquy before Judge Kyle Hixson, Assistant District Attorney Sean McDermott explained to the Court that on February 16, 2019, Knoxville Police Department Investigator A.J. Loeffler responded to a report of a rape at the Super Wash laundromat at 2319 North Central Street. The investigation uncovered that Jefferson entered the bathroom at the laundromat where the victim was located and raped her. During the sexual assault, Jefferson also choked, kicked, and struck the victim, knocking out one of the victim’s teeth and causing lacerations to her face. After the rape, Jefferson left the bathroom but returned with a rope. The victim was able to fight Jefferson off this time, causing him to flee the scene. Video surveillance from the laundromat captured Jefferson in the lobby area as he entered and exited the bathroom where the rape occurred. The victim was treated for her injuries at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

In addition to serving eighteen years in this case, Jefferson must also comply with the requirements of Community Supervision for Life. Jefferson was already on the Sex Offender Registry for a previous conviction. According to the registry, Jefferson was convicted of Lewd Act Upon a Child in Beaufort County, South Carolina, in 1988.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.