Longueuil police have arrested a convict believed to have sexually assaulted 11 people, and possibly many more.

Stefan-Eduard Georgescu, 31, was recently arrested in what Longueuil police consider to be one of their biggest investigations for a serial criminal.

"There's a sense of relief in the police department, as well as, I hope, in the residents of the community," Longueuil police Capt. Nancy Colagiacomo.

They say Georgescu sexually assaulted women aged 13 to 29 years old, and suspect he may have dozens other victims who have yet to inform police.

There are 32 charges against him, including five counts of sexual assault, four counts of armed sexual assault, five counts of forcible confinement and five counts of attempted forcible confinement.

The alleged attacks happened from 2007 to 2012 and took place in Brossard and in Montreal, often near the Panama bus terminal.

Police say they believe in many cases Georgescu approached women during the evening, under the pretense of asking for directions.

“Most crimes happened in the evening. He acted alone. Earlier on, he was armed with a knife. As the crimes progressed, he would arm himself with a handgun,” said Colagiacomo. “He would demand sexual favours for them.”

During their investigation, police set up a mobile command post, issued a composite sketch of the suspect and also released video outside a mall to the media, receiving over 300 tips, but were not able to make an arrest.

Deadly taunting

The sketch had tragic consequences for a South Shore bus driver, who was teased by co-workers for his resemblance to the sketch.

The man left his job on sick leave, and returned, only for the teasing to continue. He eventually took his own life.

The man's family said he was devastated by the taunts, and that he loved being a bus driver.

Police say he was never a suspect.

Montreal victim was breakthrough

Last November a woman from Montreal came forward saying she had been assaulted by a man matching the suspect's description.

Longueuil police used DNA to tie Georgescu to that crime, which led them to all the others. 

They say they did not have Georgescu, who was a resident of Brossard from 2001 to 2011, on their radar until the Montreal victim came forward.

Georgescu was released from Bordeaux Prison in Montreal on Friday where he was carrying out a year-long sentence for sex crimes.

Police are encouraging anyone who may have been assaulted by this man to call their hotline at 450-463-7211.