An Arizona man has been sentenced to up to 60 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman at an Auburn Hills hotel. Joel Delavara, 37, of Yuma, was found guilty of charges including first and second-degree criminal sexual conduct and home invasion, as per the events that unfolded last August during a real estate conference hosted at the Sonesta Select Hotel. According to ClickOnDetroit, Delavara was sentenced yesterday to 180 months and 40 years in prison.
The survivor of the assault expressed to the court the profound impact the incident has had on her life, saying, "This experience has created a lasting trauma for me. I feel like the person I was – confident, joyful and trusting – has been taken from me," as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. The court learned Delavara had obtained a copy of the victim's room key without permission from the hotel's front desk, and video evidence presented at the trial showed Delavara lingering in the lobby before committing the crime.
Delavara's attack was described as premeditated by the prosecution. Evidence showed that he befriended the victim and her co-workers, closely observing her before making his move, as detailed by WXYZ. The hotel's failure to properly verify Delavara's identity before handing over the room key was a critical point of contention during the trial. The desk worker who provided the key has since been fired.
The woman's attorney, Todd Flood, is pursuing a civil case, maintaining that the hotel should also be held accountable. "But for the hotel giving this key to this rapist - this would have never happened," Flood stated, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. Flood confirmed that the desk worker responsible for the key mishap was terminated following the incident.
