SAN ANGELO, TX – A San Angelo man was arrested on Wednesday after he was accused of brutally raping a woman at the local family shelter.
According to court reports, on Mar. 28, officers with the San Angelo Police Department were dispatched to Shannon Medical Center downtown for the report of a sexual assault.
When they arrived, the officers spoke with a woman who claimed that she had been raped while staying at San Angelo's family shelter. She claimed that the assault was committed by Joel Delacruz, 35, of San Angelo on Mar. 27.
The victim told police that she was staying at the family shelter by herself. The room that the victim stayed in was a single bedroom with a bathroom connecting to an unoccupied room.
The assault occurred after Delacruz jumped out of the bathroom while the victim was lying on her bed. The victim had no idea that Delacruz was in the room.
Once Delacruz presented himself he grabbed the victim by the arm and forced her into her closet. While in there Delacruz allegedly anally and vaginally raped the woman. He then forced her onto the bed where he once again vaginally raped her. During the second assault the woman claims he also choked her with his inner arm and bit her back.
The following day, on Mar. 29, police recovered surveillance footage from the shelter. In the footage Delacruz can be seen entering the bedroom at one point. A few moments later the video shows the victim enter the room. Police believe that the video proves that Delacruz hid inside the victim's apartment before the assault happened.
A warrant for Delacruz's arrest was then issued and on Mar. 30 he was booked into the Tom Green County Detention Facility. He is currently charged with sexual assault and is being held on a $200,000 bond.
He is also facing charges for a failure to appear on an assault that causes bodily injury charge.
At the time of the assault both the victim and Delacruz were living at the shelter.
According to the shelter, anyone experiencing domestic violence is welcome at there regardless of their gender.
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