Scary!
shadowcat
Atlanta suburb
The suspect, 29-year-old Eliaser Baez-Duarte, faces charges of first-degree rape, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
The victim in the case told investigators that she was dancing nude for Baez-Duarte in a private room at a Springfield club when he exposed himself, grabbed her from behind and forced himself on her, Springfield police Sgt. Russ Boring said.
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Lane County prosecutors have filed a misdemeanor sex-abuse charge against a Springfield man who had been accused by police of raping a dancer at a local strip club on Sunday night.
Police had initially booked 29-year-old Eliaser Baez-Duarte into the Lane County Jail on a first-degree rape charge in connection with the incident that allegedly occurred at Sweet Illusions at 1836 South A St. in Springfield.
Prosecutors reviewed the investigation and decided today to charge Baez-Duarte with third-degree sexual abuse. He was arraigned on the charge this afternoon in Lane County Circuit Court.
Baez-Duarte remains in jail this afternoon.
The 23-year-old victim told investigators that she was dancing nude for Baez-Duarte in a private room at Sweet Illusions when he exposed himself, grabbed her from behind and forced himself on her, Springfield police said.
I got your right wing reference - LOL
A judge today dismissed a misdemeanor sexual abuse charge against 29-year-old Eliaser Baez-Duarte, after a prosecutor said videotape from a Springfield strip club did not support a dancer’s allegation that the accused man forced himself on her as she danced nude in a private room.
Springfield police had arrested Baez-Duarte on charges of first-degree rape, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct in connection with the alleged Nov. 11 incident at Sweet Illusions, 836 South A St.
Even before seeing the videotape, however, the Lane County Deputy District Attorney’s Office opted not to file a rape change after reviewing police reports of the alleged incident. Instead, Baez-Duarte was arraigned on the misdemeanor sex charge and on resisting arrest.
Baez-Duarte pleaded guilty today to the latter charge. Lane County Circuit Judge Lauren Holland sentenced him to three days in jail after Lane County Deputy District Attorney Erik Hasselman described as “short-lived†Baez-Duarte’s resistance to being handcuffed by two Springfield officers who responded to the reported crime.
Holland followed the prosecutor’s recommendation that no probation was necessary.
After the brief hearing, defense attorney John Kolego expressed gratitude to the district attorney’s office for working to swiftly resolve the case and publicly clear his client’s name.
Hasselman said he contacted Kolego immediately after viewing video images from a security camera mounted in the room where the private dance took place. The images were inconsistent with the dancer’s “recollection or veracity†with regard to the incident, Hasselman told Holland.
Baez-Duarte has already suffered “collateral damage†from the incident and media coverage of it, Kolego told Holland. Baez-Duarte is the married father of a 4-year-old daughter, as well as co-owner of Memo’s restaurant on Main Street in Springfield, the defense attorney said.
“His wife is not very happy about this,†Kolego said, noting that his client has slept in his truck in the couple’s driveway since his release from jail.
“And all his customers saw the article in the newspaper†describing him as an accused rapist, the defense attorney told Holland.
The incident “more than got his attention,†Kolego said. “On talking to him, he says he will never go into an establishment like (the strip club) again.â€
Holland ended the hearing by telling Baez-Duarte: “I do not expect to see you back here.â€
“You won’t,†he told her. “Thank you, ma’am.â€
According to Springfield police, the woman told officers that Baez-Duarte had exposed himself, grabbed her from behind and forced himself on her as she danced nude in the private room. Hasselman said Baez-Duarte was intoxicated and made offensive comments to a Springfield police detective who arrived to investigate the woman’s complaint.
“Had the defendant been more cooperative at the scene, he might not have found himself in custody,†the prosecutor said.
How come the dancer was not charged with making false acusations?