Woman claims attempted rape, abduction

Around 8:11 p.m. on Monday, May 13, Bloomington police responded to a call from a woman alleging she had been confined in a vehicle where a man battered and attempted to rape her, BPD Sgt. Joe Crider said.

Upon arriving to the intersection of First and Walker streets, officers met a 28-year-old female saying she was victimized. She reported that she had been walking in the area when she was approached by a Hispanic man, driving a silver Chevy Malibu, and asked if she needed a ride. She stated that she declined and as she attempted to walk away, the man exited his vehicle and forced her inside it, Crider said.

The woman reported to the police officers that she tried to get out of the vehicle, but that the man forcibly confined her inside of it as he battered and attempted to rape her, police said the woman said. She also allegedly stated that she tried to call 911, but that the man threw her phone out one of the car’s windows.

The woman then stated that the man drove the car to an empty parking lot area near First and Walker streets. Upon their arrival, she stated that she got into an altercation with the man and was able to exit the vehicle. The victim stated that the male suspect pursued her, knocking her to the ground, but then retreated back to his vehicle and drove off.

The victim provided a description of the vehicle, the license plate number and a description of the man.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Monday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department located the vehicle at a local residence. A search warrant was obtained and the suspect was located.

While being interviewed, the male suspect stated that he had been searching for local escort services earlier in the night when he came across “Sexy Independent Escort Sparkles.” He said he made contact with one of the escorts there and arranged a meeting in the 700 block of South Walker Street.

The suspect reported that the escort sent him a photograph of her during text message conversations and agreed to a dollar amount for services she would provide. The police officers were given consent by the suspect to search through his cell phone where they obtained the photograph of the alleged escort and her address.

The photograph and the address sent via text message indicated that the victim appeared to be the woman in this case, police said.

The male suspect stated that he met the woman, and that she voluntarily got into his vehicle, police said.

The male suspect also said the alleged female victim began “freaking out” and uttering racial slurs at him, police said. The female victim then indicated to the suspect that she was a police officer and began reaching for her phone. The male suspect admitted to throwing the phone out the window, but that he later steered the car into a parking lot and got out of his vehicle to help her recover it.

As the woman allegedly got on her cell phone, the male suspect reportedly saw an individual on a motorcycle nearby also using a cell phone, at which time the suspect thought he had been set up for a robbery, police said. The male suspect said he attempted to return to his vehicle when the woman allegedly held onto him and began to batter him, police said he said. The male suspect left soon after and returned to his home, police said.

The male suspect’s story was confirmed through the text message conversation he had on his cell phone prior to meeting. He also stated that he never touched the alleged female escort, police said.

The woman was interviewed by police again and after being confronted with inconsistencies that were obtained through the suspect’s cell phone, the female suspect admitted that she was an escort, police said. Police also stated that she admitted to arranging a meeting with the suspect to exchange money for sexual favors, but the specific services and amount of money were not disclosed.

The female suspect admitted to making up the original story and falsely reporting confinement, battery and attempted sexual assault, police said. She claimed she made up the story because she thought the operator of the vehicle was intoxicated, police said. The alleged female escort confirmed that the suspect did not touch her, police said.

The female suspect was subsequently arrested and preliminarily charged with impersonating a police officer, attempt of criminal confinement, false reporting and prostitution. The female suspect was jailed and the male suspect was released.
No money or sexual favors were exchanged, police said.

—Samantha Felix