Deputies have arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting a teenager at knifepoint at Schandler Hall Park playground in Tice early Thursday morning.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said Raymond De Jesus was located at a home near Prospect Avenue and Seminole Street after the victim identified him based on his physical description and a yellow bike she saw at the scene.
Deputies say the attack happened around 5:45 a.m. as the victim was walking to a bus stop.
According to deputies, De Jesus approached the teen, got off his bike, and pulled her into a nearby playground, where he assaulted her.
After the attack, the victim went home and told her mother before later going to the Children’s Advocacy Center for a forensic exam and interview.
LCSO deputies arrived at the home to arrest De Jesus later that morning, but he refused to come out and hid in the attic.
Residents of the multi-family home said deputies arrived around 9 a.m., banging on the door and calling De Jesus by name. When they entered the home, they ordered everyone to leave as they searched for him.
According to witnesses, De Jesus climbed on top of a refrigerator and into the attic to avoid capture. Deputies eventually deployed tear gas into the attic, and after nearly four hours, De Jesus surrendered and was taken into custody.
De Jesus faces one count of sexual assault on a victim 12 or older, and one count of kidnapping to inflict bodily harm.