The suspect denied the charge in district court and was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.
Juan DeJesusSPRINGFIELD – Police said they have charged a 45-year-old city man with kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, holding her against her will in his apartment for two weeks and repeatedly raping her.
The victim, a 53-year-old wheelchair-bound Holyoke resident, told investigators from the department’s Special Victims’ unit that the suspect forced his way into her apartment, forced her to leave with him and then drove her to his Chestnut Street apartment here in Springfield, Sgt. John M. Delaney said.
The suspect, Juan DeJesus, of 414 Chestnut St., kept the woman against her will for two weeks with the threat of harming her and her son. DeJesus took away her cell phone and her van keys and only let her see or speak to her son with him present, Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.
On Monday, the woman convinced DeJesus to take her to her apartment in Holyoke to retrieve clothing. He began to argue with her about the time it was taking for her to pack and he began to wheel her back to her van.
Outside, the woman raised her voice to cause a disturbance in the hope that her neighbors would hear and call 911.
“Her plan worked,” Delaney said. “Mr. DeJesus left in a hurry and her neighbor assisted her in calling the police.”
The woman has also filed a report with Holyoke Police.
DeJesus was charged with aggravated rape, kidnapping and violation of an abuse prevention order. He denied the charges in district court and was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.
DeJesus was ordered to return to court on June 6 for a bindover hearing.