A registered sex offender accused of raping a teenage girl last week may have secretly stalked the alleged victim for some time, police said.

Victor Stevens, 42, of Powhatan Point, is accused of crawling through the girl's bedroom window when she was sleeping, threatening her with a knife and sexually assaulting her.

According to police, the girl grabbed Stevens' knife and stabbed him in the chest in self-defense. A K-9 unit tracked Stevens' scent and located him at his home nearby.

Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said Stevens started watching the alleged victim from his home, where he lived for 20 years.

"She was dating a neighbor of his. We don't know how long they were dating, but it appears that he was watching her," Thompson said.

The sheriff said Greco not only watched the teen come and go to visit her boyfriend, but he said Stevens also knew where she lived and how to get to her the night of the assault.

"He knew what bedroom that she slept in and that's the window that he entered (at) the residence -- the bedroom window. So, by that, he knew more about her than he should have," Thompson said.

A safety director from Wheeling Jesuit University said people should always be aware of their surroundings. If a person is walking alone and doesn’t feel safe, one tip is to stay on a cell phone with a friend or relative.

Stevens remains in the Northern Regional Jail without bond on charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated rape.

Officers arrested Victor Stevens in Ohio County, which is where he faced a judge to waive extradition Monday morning.

Stevens is headed back to Belmont County Monday.

Police said he previously sexually assaulted a disabled girl in 2007.