LAKE WORTH, FL – Three Guatemalan nationals, residing illegally in the United States, have been arrested and charged in Florida for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman. The accused, Marcos Felipe Ramirez, 31, Darniel Ordónez Jimenez, 30, and Andres Felipe Morales, 29, were apprehended after the victim managed to escape and alert authorities.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced the charges, which include sexual battery, false imprisonment, and conspiracy to commit both crimes, against the three men during a press conference on Wednesday. The incident, which took place in Lake Worth on March 11, led Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw to criticize the federal government for policies he believes put American citizens at risk.
Sheriff Bradshaw emphasized the impact of border issues on local communities, citing this case as an example. He suggested that the three accused individuals likely entered the country via the U.S.-Mexico land border, a route that has been under scrutiny recently for its security challenges.
The accused men allegedly kidnapped the woman around 1 a.m. in a residential area near John Prince Park and sexually assaulted her in two separate locations. The victim was able to escape by flagging down a passing driver.
The woman had been walking to a gas station when she encountered the three men. She was first assaulted near a food market, and then again on Lake Osborne Drive. After escaping, she sought help at Wellington Regional Medical Center.
Law enforcement officers located a vehicle matching the victim’s description, and the woman was able to identify the three men. The trio were arrested and are currently held in Palm Beach County jail, with bond set at $200,000 each.