Officials say the sexual assault of an Ovett woman in March has been linked by DNA evidence to a series of rapes.

Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge said evidence collected from the March 29 rape of a 58-year-old woman matches evidence in three other Jones County rapes from 2007 and a 2005 sexual assault in Meridian.

The rapist is described as a Hispanic man in his mid 20s to early 30s, around 5 feet-7 inches tall.

Hodge said the man also may be linked to a 2008 Forrest County attempted rape.

Forrest County Sheriff Billy McGee said there are similarities in the attempted rape and the Jones County incidents.

Hodge said each of the Jones County incidents also involved older women.