Thanks to a DNA match, prosecutors have charged a 38-year-old man with raping a woman soon after meeting her in her northeast Minneapolis home nearly 12 years ago, an attack that investigators say also involved another man and a woman.

Now authorities just need to find the defendant, who allegedly raped someone else in Minneapolis five years after that earlier assault.

Donald D. Harris Jr., of Minneapolis, was charged Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in the attack on Jan. 22, 2003, of a woman in her bedroom at 18th and Garfield Streets. A nationwide warrant has been issued for Harris' arrest.

According to the criminal complaint:

The woman told police she met people she only knew as Harry and Sharon that day through her boyfriend and invited them over to celebrate her birthday. They then shared drinks together.

Harris then arrived at Harry's invitation. The woman said she had never met Harris before.

After the four watched television, Harris went to the woman's bedroom and said he wanted to talk with her. She objected and told him to get out, but Harris covered her mouth and raped her.

Harry arrived intending to do the same, and Sharon also came in and started choking the woman.

The three left the home, soon returned and tried in vain to break in. She told them she called police, and they left. The woman noticed her purse had been stolen. Also gone were her keys, driver's license, bank card and checkbook.

A sexual assault exam collected DNA from the woman belonging to Harris.

On July 7, 2014, Harris was questioned by police, arrested that day and then charged the next day with a rape in October 2008. He posted bail on July 10 and pleaded not guilty in August.

On July 24, a state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension analyst made a match of the DNA from the 2003 rape with that already on file belonging to Harris.

The complaint against Harris did not fully identify Harry or Sharon, nor did it say whether either of them have been charged in the 2003 assault.

Harris' criminal history covers virtually his entire time as an adult, starting with drug possession convictions and including later convictions for fleeing police and drug dealing.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482