BIDDEFORD — An Alfred woman was hesitant to talk to police after allegedly being raped by an acquaintance for fear the man would come back and harm her or her family.
Gezler Heron, 22, of Ogunquit was arrested June 7 and charged with gross sexual assault and aggravated assault. He made his first court appearance at Biddeford District Court via video conference from York County Jail on June 8, according to court records.
According to an affidavit by York County Sheriff’s Deputy Shawn Sanborn, the father of a 21-year-old Alfred woman contacted police on May 29 after learning that his daughter had been allegedly raped by Heron the day before. The young woman said she initially didn’t report the incident because she was afraid Heron would harm her or her family.
The woman had been introduced to Heron after her sister met him on the internet dating site Tinder. They had known each other about two months.
Heron came over to the woman’s house on March 28, to smoke marijuana, but neither had any, the young woman told police. Her brother left to get some and she told Heron she didn’t like him romantically, but he said she was “playing with him.”
Heron allegedly told the woman that he wanted to have sex with her and there would be consequences if she refused. According to the affidavit, she refused and he allegedly began to squeeze her throat.
When the woman told him that “no means no,” he told her “this isn’t a debate,” according to the affidavit.
Heron then allegedly pinned her on the couch, locked the door, and began to squeeze her throat so that she couldn’t breathe and told her that was what happened to girls who did not do what they were told.
The woman said the situation felt “surreal” and she felt “thrown off.”
“This is how women like you end up dead or missing,” he said, according to the affidavit.
Heron also allegedly bent the woman’s sprained ankle and beat her until she had a bruised buttock.
The woman told police that Heron held a pillow to smother her and she was terrified that he was going to kill her.
Heron’s bail was set to $50,000 and he was ordered not to contact the alleged victim and to not possess illegal drugs. He is being held at York County Jail in Alfred.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com
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