SAUGERTIES – A homeless man, a citizen of Guatemala, was arrested by Saugerties Police on Thursday, October 8 on charges of burglary and forcible touching.
In September, detectives initiated an investigation into a reported sexual assault that occurred during the overnight hours in the Village of Saugerties.
The victim told police that she was sleeping when she was awakened by a man standing next to her bed with his hand under her clothing. He fled when the woman was startled.
An investigation led to the arrest of 24-year-old Jairo Gonzalez-Palma.
Police said he had five prior arrests in Saugerties, one of which included burglary charges in 2018, when Gonzalez-Palma illegally entered another person’s residence.
In this latest incident, he was arraigned in village justice court and released on his own recognizance. “This is another sad example of how bail reform is failing,” said Police Chief Joseph Sinagra.
The court also issued an order of protection on behalf of the victim.
