Warning: This story contains depictions of sexual violence.
[do_widget id= text-55 ]
Correction: This story initially incorrectly stated Horton’s age and the number of misdemeanors he was charged with.
DRYDEN, N.Y. — A Dryden man has been accused of brutally raping and assaulting a woman after he allegedly stalked her a few days earlier.
Jeffrey L. Horton, 52, is charged with 10 felonies and six misdemeanors.
Dryden Police Department records obtained on Friday provide the following narrative:
Horton allegedly followed a woman he knew to a bar on March 20 — four days before the attack — and followed her back to her home, where they argued. Over the next few days, he sent her text messages and followed her to her place of employment.
The evening of the attack, March 24, he appeared at her home again and she demanded that he leave. He left without incident but followed her to a bar later that night — where she ignored him until he left.
As she was falling asleep in bed later that night, she heard a noise, opened her eyes and saw Horton standing near the edge of her bed, according to records.
He told her he crawled into her garage through a doggy door and wanted to talk to her — she told him to leave.
He then attacked her, punching and hitting her in the face, before tying her hands behind her back and raping and sexually abusing her, records say.
At one point during the struggle, the woman broke free and attacked him while trying to flee, but was captured again and rebound with the rope.
He eventually untied her and left the home, saying that he was turning himself in to state police officers.
The attack lasted about two hours.
The woman could not call 911 immediately because she could not find her phone, which Horton threw during the attack. But he called her from the Freeville State Police barracks before turning himself in to officers.
She was then able to call 911 and Dryden police officers responded to the scene.
Horton is charged with:
— Third-degree menacing (Misdemeanor)
—Fourth-and-third-degree stalking (Misdemeanor)
—Second-degree unlawful imprisonment (Misdemeanor)
—Third-and-second-degree assault (Misdemeanor, Felony)
—First-degree sexual abuse (Felony)
—Third-degree aggravated sexual abuse (2 counts) (Felony)
—First-degree criminal sex act (Felony)
—First-degree rape (Felony)
—Second-degree burglary as a sexual motivated felony (Felony)
—Second-degree burglary (Felony)
— First-degree burglary as a sexually motivated felony (Felony)
—First-degree burglary (Felony)
Horton was released from the Tompkins County Jail on $100,000 bail.
Horton’s attorney Luke Fenchel, of Holmberg Galbraith law firm, said he did not have comments about the pending case. District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson also declined to comment about the details of the case.
Horton will be arraigned at the Tompkins County Courthouse on Aug.27.
A mugshot from the Tompkins County Jail is pending.
Contact Jolene Almendarez anytime: 907-854-3248 | Email | Twitter | Facebook
[do_widget id= text-61 ]
[do_widget id= text-61 ]