UTICA — A maintenance worker is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her apartment while claiming to be there for repairs.
Richard Melendez, 54, of Utica, was arrested Oct. 10 and charged with aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree and sex offender failure to update employment status.
Police were notified Oct. 3 of a sexual assault complaint at an apartment complex on Bleecker Street.
The victim told police a maintenance worker entered her apartment under the pretense of performing work.
The worker entered the woman’s bedroom and remained there for a period of time, according to police.
When the victim went to check on what he was doing, she discovered he had removed all of his clothing and was making inappropriate gestures toward her, police said.
The man then approached the woman and forcibly placed her on the bed and attempted to perform unwanted sexual acts, according to police.
The woman was able to free herself and the man eventually left, police said.
The case was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, and investigators developed a positive identification of the suspect.
