A 34-year-old Manassas man has been arrested and charged with rape after Prince William County detectives spent months investigating an alleged sexual assault at a home on Breeden Hall Court in Bristow. Police say Edgar Jose Mendoza and a 16-year-old girl he knew from a former job arranged to meet at the residence around 6 p.m. on March 15, and that he sexually assaulted her during that encounter.
According to princewilliamcrime.com, the girl was 16 years old at the time she agreed to meet up with her former co-worker at the Bristow address. Police allege that Mendoza sexually assaulted her once they were together, though no injuries were reported in connection with the incident. As reported by DailyVoice.com, the case was handled by special victims detectives who worked the investigation for months before moving toward an arrest.
Months-Long Investigation Ends in Arrest
Detectives concluded their investigation on September 15 and obtained arrest warrants for Mendoza the same day, per the same account from princewilliamcrime.com. He was taken into custody that day and formally charged with rape. His court date was pending as of the arrest, and his custody status was not disclosed in the police report.
Mendoza, of Manassas, is accused of using a prior work relationship with the teenager to arrange the meetup that led to the alleged assault. The report notes that no further details about the nature of the two working together were released. An image of Mendoza credited to Prince William County Police accompanied coverage of the arrest, though the department has not issued additional public statements beyond what detectives disclosed to the outlet that first reported the case.
What Remains Unknown
Several details of the case remain unresolved. Mendoza's custody status following his arrest was not made available, and no court, docket number, or confirmed hearing date has been publicly disclosed. It is also not known whether Mendoza has retained an attorney or whether any statement has been issued on his behalf.
