City man jailed in teen rape
A Washington man who city police said is in the country illegally was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl after picking her up at Washington High School and taking her to his apartment in April.
Roger Emilson Acosta-Pagoada, 37, of 140 W. Walnut St., was arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of rape, false imprisonment and luring a child into a vehicle without parental permission.
City police were initially called May 27 for a report of an assault of a minor in the 1300 block of Allison Avenue. The 16-year-old girl told police she had at least one sexual encounter with Acosta-Pagoada.
After contacting federal immigration officials, police learned that Acosta-Pagoada, who was born in Honduras, is in the United States illegally. Federal officials asked city police to detain him as a repeat immigration violator. He was placed in Washington County jail.
The girl told Detective Dan Rush that the she met Acosta-Pagoada several months ago at a coin-operated laundry. The two reportedly established a casual relationship and maintained contact through social media and text messaging.
Sometime in April, he reportedly offered the girl a ride home. He did not have the permission of the girl’s parents to do so, police said. Instead of taking her home, he allegedly took her to his apartment on West Walnut.
The girl told Rush he threatened to harm her and her family is she did not have sex with him. He also allegedly told her that she would never see her family again.
After the two had sex, he reportedly drove her home. He again threatened to harm her and her family if she disclosed the encounter.
The 16-year-old told Rush she was afraid to tell anyone she had been forced to have sex out of fear of retaliation. She disclosed the relationship after his arrest on the immigration charge.
Acosta-Pagoada is in Washington County jail on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 2 in Central Court.