Woman sleeping at home awoke to find homeless illegal alien attacking her, police say

A man who allegedly attacked a woman in her home in Pennsylvania on Sunday was later determined to be an illegal alien who claimed to be homeless.

Police said that the 32-year-old woman reported being awakened by a man on top of her, who attacked when she resisted at about 2 a.m. She was able to fight him off by punching him in the eye and kicking him in the face, according to an affidavit.

His attorney had argued that he was not a bail risk because he was homeless and did not have any money.

At one point, she says that the man put her in a stranglehold and was cutting off the flow of oxygen before she was able to escape his grip. He ran away but was able to steal her iPad on his way out.

The woman described the man as having shaggy hair, wearing a baseball cap as well as a green-yellow windbreaker. She said he only spoke Spanish.

About nine hours after the attack, police were able to find a suspect who matched the victim’s description. She was able to positively identify him, and police said that he was in possession of her iPad. He also had a fresh injury to his eye, which matched with the woman’s description of the fight.

The man was identified as 31-year-old Jonathan Avila-Arevalo.

Avila-Arevalo was arraigned on Monday morning with the aid of an interpreter and was held on a cash bail of $99,000. His attorney had argued that he was not a bail risk because he was homeless and did not have any money.

One of the keys to capturing Avila-Arevalo was that police were able to track the iPad he allegedly stole.

RELATED: Video shows illegal alien dragging away screaming woman who tried to escape from captivity and sexual assault 

WCAU-TV reported that Avila-Arevalo was determined to be an illegal alien who had entered into the U.S. in 2023 through Texas from Guatemala. Federal officials have placed an immigration detainer on the man if he makes bail.

Avila-Arevalo was charged with a slew of crimes, including burglary, strangulation, aggravated assault, and criminal trespassing.

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