Bremerton police searching for sex offender accused of preying on kindness of woman

BREMERTON, Wash. -- Police are searching for a convicted sex offender accused of stealing a car from an older woman who allowed him to stay in her home for a week.

The woman, who asked that she not be identified, said the suspect, Marshall Allen Coats, walked into her Bremerton church on June 7, said his name was Max and asked for help -- a temporary place to stay.

"He had a job," she said. "He just needed a place to stay for a while. His friend was coming back from Arizona and he just needed a place to stay for four or five days."

She offered to let him stay at her home for the week, thinking she was doing the right thing and not knowing that he was a convicted sex offender.

Sex offender accused of stealing woman`s car in Bremerton

Coats served time on a conviction of third-degree rape, had multiple assault charges and is wanted on a felony warrant for failure to register as a sex offender.

After he began staying at the victim's home, "he seemed to wander around at night, opening drawers and doors, and I became a little bit concerned," she said.

It became even more uncomfortable as the days passed, when the victim says Coats began touching her.

"He started to massage my leg and I said, what are you doing? He said, 'Oh, I want to give you comfort.' I said, take your hands off my body immediately."

On the seventh day, the victim told Coats to leave.

"I called 911 and he bolted and ran," she said.

He was gone -- but not for long.

The victim said she woke up Saturday night with a bad feeling and checked out her home and realized her car keys were missing. She looked outside and her car was gone.

Bremerton police found her car totaled on the Purdy Bridge, but the suspect was nowhere to be found.

Police are concerned he may be preying on other victims.

The victim is hoping that, by telling her story, others will think twice about their safety before allowing a stranger into their homes.

"I think I have learned a very important lesson after a week of being so anxious and concerned for my personal safety not to let somebody into my home," she said.

If you have any information on Coats' whereabouts, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.