CT man who broke into co-workers apartment, sexually assaulted her sentenced to 10 years in prison
A West Haven man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday for burglary and sexual assault charges after attacking a co-worker in 2019, officials said.
Miguel Cuapio-Mendieta, 26, was sentenced by Judge Kevin S. Russo in Milford Superior Court to 20 years execution suspended after 10 years served in prison with 10 years of probation, according to Ansonia/Milford State’s Attorney Margaret E. Kelley. Russo issued the sentence after hearing statements from the victim and her family.
On Feb, 21, Cuapio-Mendieta pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated sexual assault and first-degree burglary.
According to court records, a woman who worked with Cuapio-Mendieta told police he forcefully entered her apartment dressed in black clothing with a black ski mask and backpack. She told police Cuapio-Mendieta struggled with her in the home and produced a black handgun from his bag. The victim then said that he threatened to kill her and her entire family if she did not do what he asked, court records show.
The woman told police she was handcuffed, told to kneel and forced to perform a sex act while the gun was held to her head, according to court records. He then threw her on the bed, she said, and started to remove her clothing as he placed blacked-out goggles over her eyes, records show.
At some point, she told police she was able to free herself from the handcuffs and remove the goggles. According to the victim, she saw the man’s face and recognized him as an “acquaintance from work.” She said she screamed that she was going to call the police and Cuapio-Mendieta fled the apartment.
Following the assault, the victim told police she received numerous text messages from Cuapio-Mendieta “admitting the assault and claiming he was coerced into this action by an unknown individual who was threatening the lives of his family members,” records show.
According to court records, Cuapio-Mendieta was located in New Haven. He reportedly led police to where he had stashed the backpack used in the incident, which contained the blacked-out goggles, ski mask and a BB gun.
He was arrested on Dec. 29, 2019, following an investigation by the West Haven Police Department.