Man denies felony rape charges
Toolbox
By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: November 20, 2009
A Brooklyn, N.Y., man wanted for the rape of a woman in Rutland was arrested this week by U.S. Marshals and answered to two felony charges in court.
Rashed Williams, 26, pleaded innocent in Rutland District Court on Wednesday to a charge of sexual assault without consent and first-degree unlawful restraint resulting in injury. Judge Thomas Zonay set bail at $150,000 for Williams who was returned to jail for lack of bail.
City police said Williams raped a woman at the Ramada Inn last summer. A 20-year-old woman said she and a friend accompanied Williams — who she knew as "Deano" — and his friend to a room at the inn on the night of July 28.
While there, the woman said Williams pressed her for sex verbally before assaulting her physically. The woman told police Williams grabbed her by the wrists, pushed her against a door and said, "Shut up or I'll kill you."
Williams then allegedly raped the woman for about 20 minutes before releasing her.
"I'm done. You can leave," Williams allegedly told her, according to court records.
Police say while the woman was being raped, her 20-year-old friend was being sexually assaulted in the other room by 23-year-old Darryl S. Smith, of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Both women reported the assaults to the police who interviewed Williams and Smith who said the sex was consensual.
However, police said Williams fled before police could arrest him and Smith, after being issued a citation to appear in court on a charge of sexual assault, also left the state soon after the incident.
City Police Detective Ray LaMoria said Thursday that city police were able to arrest Williams with the help of U.S. Marshals and the Brandon Police.
"The police in Brandon got a tip that he was in the area and they let us know. The marshals picked him up earlier this week," LaMoria said.
Police and federal officials are still searching for Smith.
brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
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