Honduran Illegal Immigrant Charged with Home Invasion and Sexual Assault in Florida
Police arrested 24-year-old Axel Antonio Espinal Herrera, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, for forcibly entering a Polk County home and sexually assaulting a 77-year-old resident.
Around 4 a.m. on August 29, a 77-year-old woman in Polk County, Florida, reported hearing a disturbance and discovering Axel Antonio Espinal Herrera inside her bedroom. The suspect allegedly removed her clothing, sexually assaulted her, and struck her when she tried to get away. After she entered the bathroom to escape, Herrera is accused of chasing her, pulling her back into the house and choking her before fleeing.
Police canvassed the neighborhood, located Herrera at a nearby home, and matched him to the victim’s description through a photo lineup. He was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and charged with several offenses, including forcible sexual battery, kidnapping, and drug possession, while ICE has filed detainers against him and two other Honduran occupants of the residence.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious violent crime and immigration enforcement actions in a Florida community.
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