A man taken into custody after a woman reported being raped inside a portable restroom at Van Antwerp Park in Detroit has been released after prosecutors declined to authorize charges.
Police said a 34-year-old woman came to a local Precinct and reported that the assault happened the night before, between 9 and 10 p.m. She told investigators she was forced at gunpoint from her car near St. Martin and Pinehurst, directed into a porta-potty at Van Antwerp Park, and then raped.
A 27-year-old Detroit man was later identified as a suspect and taken into custody. Detectives submitted a warrant request to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
That request was reviewed by the office’s Special Victims Unit and denied, with prosecutors citing insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The man has since been released, and no charges will be filed at this time.
Sources tell us the incident may allegedly stemmed from a planned meeting between the man and the woman, who was allegedly working as an escort.
According to those familiar with the case, there had been an agreement for money to be exchanged for sexual favors. When the payment was not provided, an altercation occurred, during which the man allegedly fired a shot in what he claimed was self-defense.
Detroit police released the following statement:
“The Detroit Police Department stands with all victims of criminal sexual conduct. The department presented all the evidence to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office (WCPO) on behalf of the alleged Van Antwerp Park sexual assault victim. Unfortunately, there were inconsistencies with the evidence and circumstances provided by the victim. During our investigation, we learned that the victim was promised money by the suspect in return for sex and the suspect did not pay the victim. The incident remains under investigation as we have also learned that the suspect allegedly has a history of targeting women on escort sites, promising to pay for sexual favors, not doing so and instead, and sexually assaulting the women. If we find these allegations to be true we will be submitting an Investigator’s Report to the WCPO for review.”
