Posted on 06/13/2002 7:45:35 AM PDT by elcaudillo
A 30-year-old man who investigators say sexually assaulted an 11-year-old Marco Island girl, threatening to kill her during the rape if she told anyone about the attack, was arrested Tuesday night.
Marco police arrested Hicham Rhazouani of of 1786 Dogwood Drive, Marco Island, and charged him with sexual battery of a person under 12, burglary while armed and burglary with assault or battery. He was in custody Wednesday night at the Collier County jail on $200,000 bond, sheriff's officials say.
Police say the rape happened April 9 in the 1000 block of San Marco Road. The name of the victim isn't being published because of the nature of the case.
Arrest reports give this account:
Around 2:45 a.m., the girl said Rhazouani came into her room quietly and awakened her. She said she was half asleep and Rhazouani was whispering to her.
She said she could feel a small knife, which fit into his hand, held to her throat. He'd taken it from his rear pants pocket.
Before he raped her, he asked her how old she was and if she were a virgin. When the girl told him that she'd never had sex, he said, "It won't hurt. I'll be gentle."
He then sexually assaulted her, asking her where she went to school. He kept talking to her, trying to keep her quiet and threatening her by telling her he'd come back and kill her if she told anyone about the rape.
During the police investigation that night, officers learned that a white car had been seen across the street from the house. A Collier sheriff's K-9 tracking dog had picked up a scent in that area, between the girl's house and a house across the street.
Rhazouani had been chased out of the girl's house by a man who lived in the house, but Rhazouani got away, heading toward where the white car was parked.
Police questioned the owner of the house across the street, who said she rented to two foreign exchange students, whom she described as being from Egypt. Police earlier had learned that the girl's attacker was a man with an acdcent.
Last week, police interviewed a friend of Rhazouani who said Rhazouani was often out late at night drinking and hanging out at local bars and also stayed up late on the Internet. The friend also remembered seeing police at the girls home and said Rhazouani was at his home that night.
The friend's description matched that of the one given by the girl and the man who chased the suspect. Police interviewed Rhazouani who said he was staying at the house that night, that he would help and said he was "shocked that this could happen."
On Monday, police showed a photo lineup to the girl and the man who chased her suspected attacker,. Separately, each chose Rhazouani.
On Tuesday, police interviewed Rhazouani who was read his Miranda rights but who decided to talk to investigators.
He said he couldn't have committed the crime because of his religious belief. He was then told that his photo had been picked by the victim.
He then asked to confront them and prove that he is innocent. He kept declaring his innocence and when he was told there were bodily fluids that could be used to determine if he was the attacker, he stopped talking.
Rhazouani, a citizen of Morocco, said he wanted the government to provide him with an attorney and ended the interview.
O infidel, whose thoughts are of one thing only!
By the tracts of land of the Prophet's wives, it describes an object.
Very strange, to set bond so low for an obvious flight risk.
Ping (also see posts 25 and 28) I did not read further, today, but if I recall correctly, there will be more here.
Maybe the trial needs to be FReeped too -- pack the courtroom with freepers!
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