For Immediate Release September 25, 2007
Contact: Corey Welford/Meredith Lerner 617-679-6522
Man Indicted In Connection With 2003 Hopkinton Home Invasion, Sexual Assault
Defendant Was Arrested In July In Connection With Series Of MetroWest Area Home Invasions And Sexual Assaults
CAMBRIDGE – Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public today that a New Jersey man, formerly from Framingham, was indicted yesterday on charges of home invasion, assault with intent to rape, and other charges in connection a 2003 incident in Hopkinton.
Marcelo Mota, 28, was indicted by a Middlesex County grand jury on charges of home invasion, armed burglary, armed assault in a dwelling, assault with intent to rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and threats.
“We allege that this defendant preyed on unsuspecting women and put an entire region in fear by committing a series of similar crimes,” District Attorney Leone said. “These indictments relate to the incident in Hopkinton and we will continue to pursue this case in cooperation with other agencies.”
Mota was arrested by New Jersey police on Saturday, July 14, on a warrant obtained on July 13 by Hopkinton Police in connection with an August 14, 2003, armed home invasion and assault in Hopkinton.
On August 14, 2003, Hopkinton Police responded to a townhouse complex and, upon investigation, it was alleged that the suspect, wielding a knife, broke into a dwelling and assaulted a 41-year-old female victim. Despite extensive investigation by law enforcement, including the use of billboards seeking information to solve this crime and others possibly related to it in the area, no arrests were made at the time.
In early July 2007, the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab was contacted by the Burlington County Sheriff’s office in New Jersey and provided with a ten print fingerprint card of Mota, listing an address in Delran, New Jersey. The fingerprints were compared with the prints found at the crime scene of the 2003 incident in Hopkinton and determined to be a match. Upon further investigation by Hopkinton Police, it was determined that the description provided by the Hopkinton victim generally matched that of the defendant, and that the defendant had lived in Framingham and worked in the area at the time of the incident.
On Friday, July 13, Hopkinton Police applied for and were granted a warrant for the arrest of Mota in connection with the alleged Hopkinton home invasion and assault. On Saturday, July 14, Mota was arrested by New Jersey police.
Upon further investigation, it is now alleged that Mota was responsible for two other incidents that occurred in Westborough during the same time period as the Hopkinton incident. On August 6, 2003, Westboro Police responded the University of Massachusetts Medical Center University Campus to interview a 24-year-old female rape victim. The investigation led to a condominium complex where the woman lived. The suspect is alleged to have broken into her townhouse, woken her up and raped her at knife-point. One week later, on August 13, 2003, Westboro Police responded to a separate condominium complex and, upon investigation, learned that a suspect broke into a dwelling there, woke up a 58-year-old female, threatened her with a knife and raped her. These incidents are being prosecuted by Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early’s Office.
Following his arrest, Mota was also arraigned in New Jersey for charges associated with crimes in that state. He remains in custody in New Jersey on those charges.
An arraignment date on the Middlesex indictments has yet to be set.
These charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Michael Fabbri. The victim witness advocate is Lesia Schymonowytsch.
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