Princeton woman awakes to being sexually assaulted by stranger

By Anna Merriman | For NJ.com
on June 29, 2016 at 3:33 PM,
updated June 29, 2016 at 5:06 PM

PRINCETON — A Princeton woman woke up early Wednesday to a stranger sexually assaulting her in her house, police said.

The intruder, later identified as Pedro Arias-Santiago, 26, of Princeton, was arrested outside of the woman's home in the 200 block of Birch Avenue by responding officers.


Pedro Arias-Santiago, police photo.

He was charged with aggravated sexual assault, burglary and theft.

The 28-year-old victim told police she was sleeping in her home when she woke up a little after midnight to find Arias-Santiago sexually assaulting her, the statement said.

Police do not believe the woman knew Arias-Santiago before the assault.

The woman ran from her house and called police, who captured Arias-Santiago just outside the house. They searched the 26-year-old and found he was carrying a few items of the woman's clothing.

Police believe Arias-Santiago got into the woman's house through an unlocked door.

Arias-Santiago is from Guatemala and living in the country illegally and federal immigration authorities were notified of his arrest, police said.

A judge later Wednesday set Arias-Santiago's bail at $200,000 and he was lodged at the to Mercer County Correction Center in Hopewell Township.

A spokesperson for the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said they do not yet have a date set for Arias-Santiago's bail hearing.

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2016/06/princeton_woman_awakes_to_being_sexually_assaulted .html