Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - A migrant from Venezuela is charged with raping a woman in a Cheektowaga hotel room.
Prosecutors say the suspect and victim knew each other, and were among the 500 migrants bussed in to Erie County from New York City.
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Erie County District Attorney John Flynn says the incident happened last Wednesday.
"The caseworker reported it up through his or her chain of command. Ultimately, we ended up getting Cheektowaga Police involved, and started an investigation," explained Flynn in an interview with WBEN on Tuesday.
Flynn says on late Friday, his office was able to put the case together and have 26-year-old Jesus Guzman-Bermudez arrested and charged with rape, unlawful imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child, because the alleged rape took place in front of their three-year-old child that was in the hotel room with them.
"Not sure if they're married or not, but they're definitely some type of couple," Flynn said. "It wasn't like an incident where this individual went out in town, grabbed some victim and took them back to the hotel room. That's not the case here. They clearly knew one another."
Guzman-Bermudez is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 9:30 a.m. ET for a felony hearing. He was held without bail, and a temporary order of protection was issued on behalf of the victim.
If convicted of the highest charge, Guzman-Bermudez faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Flynn says this is only the fourth incident among the 500 migrants that have arrived in Erie County.
"The first three were petty larceny, so very small crimes, minor offenses. This is obviously much more serious," he said. "But four out of over 500, obviously, the vast majority over 95% are abiding by the laws and behaving."
More from District Attorney Flynn is available in the player below: