SALT LAKE CITY — Advancements in DNA technology led to an aggravated sexual assault charge for an attack against a teenager 17 years ago.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced today that Jose Luis Pina-Cruz, 38, will be charged for his role in the attack after he was identified using previously unprocessed samples from the case.
In 2006, the 16 year-old survivor said two men sexually assaulted her, but she could not identify them; DNA analyzed from a sexual assault kit were able identify Frank Benavidez as one of the assailants. At the time, he was already in prison, and remains there currently.
But the second perpetrator was not identified until now, when advancements in DNA analysis identified Pina-Cruz.
He has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping, and first-degree felony aggravated robbery.
“We appreciate the patience of the survivor and her family as this case was being investigated. One can only imagine the fear and trauma for survivors and the community when an alleged assailant remains unknown and at large,"said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.
"There is no closure. Today that vacuum of the unknown is filled, and the survivor and our community can rest easily now that all the alleged offenders have been apprehended.”
