Man accused of assaulting three women sentenced to 40 years

A 34-year-old man received a 40-year sentence this week after pleading guilty in Bibb County Superior Court to three counts of aggravated assault with the intent to rape.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A 34-year-old man received a 40-year sentence this week after pleading guilty in Bibb County Superior Court to three counts of aggravated assault with the intent to rape.

That’s according to a news release from Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita Howard’s Office.

The release says Marquez Tukes assaulted three women in the spring of 2021, using alcohol and deception to lure his victims.

In two separate incidents, Tukes drove the women to a field and physically forced himself on them. Both women managed to fight him off and flee. In a third case, Tukes brought the victim to his home, where he attempted to to assault her. She also fought him off and escaped.

Tukes used a false name with each victim, but law enforcement was able to identify him as the attacker through Facebook posts, cell phone records, victim cooperation and concerns raised by family. Two of the women identified Tukes in a photo lineup, and his DNA was linked to two of the victims through sexual assault kids processed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

“Thanks to the three brave women who reported these sexual assaults and cooperated with law enforcement, the public will be protected from this sexual offender for decades to come,” Howard said. “Many thanks to all of our law enforcement partners for their tenacity in helping to solve these heinous crimes.”

Tukes will serve the first 20 years of his sentence in the Department of Corrections and will be subject to sex offender conditions.