Man charged with city’s first ‘stranger rape’ in over 12 years in Virginia

Denis Humberto Navarette Romero and Virginia path

A Honduran man faces rape costs after allegedly assaulting a girl on a well-liked mountaineering path in Herndon, Virginia, US. Police stated that is the primary stranger rape within the city in over a decade.
Denis Humberto Navarette Romero, 31, was arrested final week for abduction with intent to defile and rape, based on the Herndon police division. The sufferer, who didn’t know Romero, was attacked on the busy Washington and Previous Dominion Path between Ferndale Avenue and Grace Road when the suspect allegedly grabbed her arm, compelled her to the bottom, and assaulted her.Nonetheless, the sufferer managed to flee and sought assist from a passerby, who referred to as 911 to report the alleged crime.
“The lady had been strolling alongside the path after leaving a enterprise in downtown Herndon when she was approached by the suspect. The suspect openly grabbed the sufferer and compelled her to the bottom, the place he proceeded to rape her. The sufferer was capable of combat off the suspect and run away,” stated Herndon police chief Maggie DeBoard in a press convention, as quoted by native media FFX Now.

When police arrived on the path, they situated Romero in a parking zone within the 700 block of Station Road and took him to the Herndon police station for questioning. Detectives discovered gadgets belonging to the sufferer in his possession.
‘That is the one stranger rape we’ve had within the city in my greater than 12 years as chief of police,” DeBoard added, as quoted by New York Submit.
Police imagine there could also be extra witnesses to this incident and different victims who encountered the suspect.
“He has a documented historical past of sexual assault and exposures within the area, starting in 2022, together with costs within the city of Herndon previous to final night time’s incident,” stated DeBoard. “What’s disturbing is the variety of occasions this offender has been arrested and launched. He has continued to re-offend, and his habits has escalated to a rape in a really public space in our city final night time.”
On November 14, 4 days earlier than being arrested on rape costs, he was launched from jail after serving half of a 50-day sentence for indecent publicity.
Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin criticised the discharge of Romero, who’s within the US illegally. He instructed The Submit, “I’m heartsick for this sufferer and outraged that native Fairfax County officers recklessly launched violent unlawful immigrants who ought to have been prosecuted and deported.”

Youngkin added, “This can be a dereliction of their most simple obligation to maintain individuals protected. Prioritizing violent unlawful immigrants over the protection of Fairfax residents is unacceptable,” stressing that Virginia isn’t a sanctuary state.
The suspect’s preliminary listening to is scheduled for March 5, 2025, based on an area media report.