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The Harris County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday that DNA evidence led to the North Carolina arrest of Pvt. 1st Class Levi Austin Goss of Port Neches. He is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and aggravated kidnapping.
"It's one of those cases that I knew we had to find some type of resolve. I mean, it was that bad," said Harris County investigator Chris Hudson.
A 16-year-old girl was walking in Cypress when she was grabbed by a masked man, dragged to a field, raped and left for dead.
"To this day, she still deals with lingering effects of the incidents," said Lt. JD Philpot from the Harris County Child Abuse unit.
Investigators say the February 2013 attack happened three years before Goss, now 24, joined the Army.
Fort Bragg is cooperating in the investigation.
"Private First Class Levi Goss, an All American Paratrooper, is in civilian confinement," Master Sgt. Jose Colon of the 82nd Airborne Division, told ABC11 on Tuesday. "He is under investigation by civilian law enforcement for an allegation that may predate his military service. We are cooperating with civilian law enforcement in this matter."
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On Monday, Goss waived extradition from Fayetteville. Online records did not list an attorney representing him.
"We've actually taken a monster off the streets. A brave victim can finally move forward and know this man is no longer a threat to her or anybody else in the community," said Harris County Chief Deputy Edison Toquica. "This brave girl survived the savage attack and provided genetic evidence that has finally led to an arrest."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.