Woman escapes man who held her prisoner for days to assault her, Florida sheriff says
A woman reports she was held prisoner in a rural area and sexually assaulted for days before escaping with the help of a friend, according to law enforcement officials in Florida.
The harrowing scenario occurred in the sparsely populated Fort Drum area of Okeechobee County and came to light Saturday, Sept. 28, officials said.
“Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office received a report about a 33-year-old female who had been sexually assaulted and held against her will for several days,” the sheriff’s office said.
“The victim managed to get away from the suspect and was picked up by a friend, who brought her back to town and notified law enforcement.”
A suspect was identified and records showed he had 15 prior arrests in the county, officials said.
Deputies arrested 32-year-old Leonel “Nelly” Ruiz of Okeechobee on Monday, Sept. 30, and have charged him with:
- Sexual battery
- Aggravated battery
- Tampering with a witness
- Felony battery
- Domestic battery by strangulation
- False imprisonment
Investigators did not release details of the victim’s injuries and did not reveal how she encountered Ruiz.
Fort Drum is about a 90-mile drive south from Orlando.
This story was originally published October 2, 2024 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Woman escapes man who held her prisoner for days to assault her, Florida sheriff says."