Pocono News Section

Rape Suspect Brought Back to Wyoming County

Rape Suspect Brought Back to Wyoming County - Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 5:50PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Wednesday, Feb 3, 2010 @ 05:50pm EST
MESHOPPEN, WYOMING COUNTY -- The suspect in a brutal rape and assault in Wyoming County is back in the area. Nery Perez-Duarte was arraigned Wednesday afternoon near Tunkhannock.

Perez-Duarte is accused of raping a Meshoppen woman Christmas week. He then took off but was caught late last month in Cedar Rapids, Iowa by U. S. Marshalls. Prosecutors are still looking into why he was there.

After weeks on the run, 27-year-old Nery Perez-Duarte was led into his arraignment near Tunkhannock Wednesday.

Perez-Duarte stayed silent but District Attorney Jeff Mitchell called his crimes shocking. ÒYou don't see crimes like this very often, so brutal, itÕs quite shocking," he said.

Perez-Duarte is accused of beating and raping a woman inside an apartment on Allen Street in Meshoppen Christmas week. The victim suffered a broken leg and black eye.

ÒThere are witnesses. Obviously, the victim herself is a witness and also neighbors nearby to the residence are witnesses, so I think we have a fairly strong case," said Mitchell.

In court Perez-Duarte sighed and put his head down as the eight charges against him were spelled out and bail was set at $150,000.

The main reason is because prosecutors consider Perez-Duarte a flight risk. He's originally from Guatemala.

If convicted of all of the charges Perez-Duarte faces more than 50 years in prison. He's expected back in court next week for a preliminary hearing.