Gabriel Garcia Reyes was arrested Oct. 23 and is facing sexual assault, kidnapping and aggravated assault charges in connection with an alleged attack at a South Tucson massage business on Oct. 16. South Tucson police used surveillance footage from a neighboring business to identify him, KVOA reported.
The incident allegedly occurred at about 9:15 p.m. at an undisclosed massage business, according to KVOA. Police became involved the next day, when officers responded to Banner Medical Center after receiving a sexual assault report.
Court documents described in the station's report allege that Reyes entered the business, showed the woman pornographic images and demanded sexual acts. After she refused, he allegedly used force and intimidation to sexually assault her, kept her from leaving and choked her.
What Investigators Say the Footage Showed
According to the court documents as reported by the station, surveillance footage showed the suspect pursuing the woman as she tried to escape, knocking her down, strangling her and forcing her into another room.
South Tucson police investigators used footage from a neighboring business to identify the suspect, KVOA reported. On Oct. 23, officers found Reyes wearing clothing matching what was seen in the footage and arrested him.
Reyes' Account and the Charges
The court documents, as described in KVOA's report, say Reyes admitted entering the business for sex and grabbing the woman, but claimed the encounter was consensual. He was charged with two counts of sexual assault, one count of kidnapping and one count of aggravated assault by strangulation.
Arizona classifies sexual assault as a class 2 felony, according to the Arizona Legislature. Kidnapping is generally a class 2 felony, though state law provides an exception for class 4 treatment under specified release conditions, as described below.
Arizona Law and Survivor Support
The kidnapping exception applies when a defendant voluntarily releases the victim without physical injury in a safe place before arrest and before accomplishing the further offense specified in the statute, according to the Arizona Legislature. For people seeking support, the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault lists a 24/7 crisis line at (520) 327-7273 and a toll-free number at (800) 400-1001.
Reyes is being held on a $500,000 bond, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 3, according to KVOA. The allegations against him remain unproven, and the case has not yet been resolved in court.
