Mass. Rape Suspect Arrested in Home Near School
A 30-year-old man wanted in Massachusetts for allegedly raping a young girl was arrested by U.S. Marshals at a home on Eldridge Avenue in Lawrence Township Wednesday morning, just a block from a Catholic elementary school.
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A man wanted for allegedly raping a young girl in Massachusetts was arrested this morning (Wednesday, Feb. 22) after members of a federal fugitive task force tracked him down to the home of relatives in Lawrence Township, authorities confirmed late this afternoon.
The home on Eldridge Avenue where the suspect, Byron Garcia, was captured stands adjacent to The Church of Saint Ann and just one block from Saint Ann elementary school.
Police in North Andover, Mass., want the 30-year-old in connection with charges of rape and indecent exposure involving a child under the age of 14, according to William Perez, an investigator with the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“He is accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile,” Perez said, noting that the alleged victim is an “elementary school-age female” and that the charges against Perez were filed earlier this month.
As part of their search for Garcia – who fled Massachusetts before he could be apprehended on the charges – authorities looked into his background and discovered that he had relatives living in Lawrence Township, Perez said.
Members of the New York/New Jersey fugitive task force – which includes detectives from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office – raided that house on Eldridge Avenue this morning and found Garcia hiding inside, Perez said.
The arrest took place as many Saint Ann’s parishioners were attending Ash Wednesday services at the church next door. Many people driving along Eldridge Avenue, either en route to the church or leaving it, slowed down to look at the large gathering of heavily-armed law enforcement personnel wearing body armor surrounding a handcuffed Garcia.
Garcia faces a local charge of hindering apprehension for allegedly trying to hide from the task force, and will be held at the Mercer County Correction Center in Hopewell Township until he is extradited to Massachusetts, Perez said.
A Lawrence Township police officer was present at the scene of the arrest, but Garcia does not appear to be suspected of any local crimes at this time.
In This article
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Church of Saint Ann
1253 Lawrenceville Rd, Lawrenceville, NJ -
Saint Ann School
34 Rossa Ave, Lawrence Township, NJ
Ya Dad
6:33 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
US Marshals are awesome.
Diana CG
6:52 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thank God they found this monster....right in our back yard and a block away from St Anne's Elementary school.....What would have tried to do here ??? Good work U S Marshals....
Diana CG
9:05 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Who lives there? The U S Marshal's found out his has relatives living in Lawrence....this is crazy !
Kelly ann
9:33 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
The family that lives there is the Hispanic women who cleans the church
Diana CG
3:30 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
That's sad.....look what she has for a relative. A monster that rapes children....I hope they lock him up for good !!
coach-c
7:55 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
we are not perfect. only god can judge. and dont talk about something you dont really know... i know that man and he is a hard working guy. like i said if you dont know the bottom of the history dont comment...
Michael Ratcliffe
11:48 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
This story has been updated. The update can be found here http://patch.com/A-rghW
coach-c
7:50 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
easy to talk? when you really dont know, we supposed he is a rapist he is a suspect'' not a rapist...
T B
8:58 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
To Mynor C you obviously have never been rapped and it disgusting you defend a RAPIST!!! I have been rapped and can not believe ANYONE would defend someone like that. If he did nothing wrong he shouldn't of been in hidding. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!!!!
T B
8:59 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
A suspect who did nothing wouldn't of RUN home to daddy!!!! GROSS!!!!!
MarkE
11:42 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
I know that whole family very well and know he would not commit such a crime. I think everyone shouldnt be so quick to judge someone without knowing the real facts.... im sure if any of you had a relative who was being accused to raping another inidividual you would do anything to prove he or she was proven innocent. Its absolutely revolting how you can call someone a monster without knowing anything..... This is the media portraying him to be someone he is not.... I have a lawyer in my immediate family and I will make sure once he is proven innocent that legal action is taken to anyone who has defamed his character. MARK MY WORDS ON THAT!
and his family obviously lived out of state.... and seeing by these comments that maybe they were the only people that actually gave him hope or did not look at him like he was a monster.
Outraged Stepmom
2:19 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing :) enjoy your phony deformation of character suit. Obviously you are bias as am I except I have been in this childs life for 12 years and know her well enough to know he is guilty no matter what any judge determines