A 26-year-old man is facing multiple felony charges after police say he forced an employee into a room at Annie's Healthcare Massage in Manassas, pulled out a knife, and sexually assaulted and strangled her. Amerek Batiste was arrested later the same day and is now being held without bond.
According to WJLA, police say Batiste forced the female employee into a room at the business on Presidential Lane before the attack began. As she fought to get away, police say, he pulled out a knife. Officers say he also choked the employee during the assault, leaving her with injuries that authorities have not detailed further, according to Daily Voice.
Police accounts place the alleged rape at around 4:50 p.m. at Annie's Healthcare Massage on Presidential Lane. Reports differ on the exact day the attack occurred — Daily Voice reported that Batiste entered the business shortly before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, while Patch reported the incident was logged at the same address at about 4:50 p.m. on a Thursday. The discrepancy between the two accounts has not been resolved.
Suspect Tracked Down and Arrested
Officers tracked down Batiste later that same day and took him into custody without incident, the same Daily Voice report notes. The Prince William County Police Department reported the resulting charges: abduction with intent to defile, two counts of forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration and strangulation. Patch reports that police identified Batiste as having no fixed address, and that he is being held without bond.
What Virginia Law Says About the Charges
Under Virginia law, forcible sodomy covers acts including cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus or anal intercourse committed against a complaining witness, or causing that witness to perform those acts with another person, according to the Virginia Code. Separately, abduction with intent to defile is classified as a Class 2 felony under the Virginia Code.
No further details have been released about the employee's condition, and there is no public information yet on whether Batiste has entered a plea or appeared in court. Hoodline will continue to follow this case as additional information becomes available.
