DA: Man With Rope, Duct Tape, Pliers Accosted Teen Girls

A man accused of grabbing three teenage girls from behind and dragging one into the woods in Worcester, Massachusetts, was carrying rope, duct tape and pliers, according to prosecutors.

Fredy Cruz, 22, of Worcester, has been charged with three counts each of kidnapping and assault and battery, along with one count of enticing a child under 16.

The teens — two sophomores at South High School and an eighth grader at Sullivan Middle School — were accosted on three separate occasions. Police said all the incidents happened between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. Wednesday on Apricot Street.

Cruz was arrested Thursday morning in the same location, wearing the same clothing and carrying the same backpack, prosecutors said. 

"There were a number of cell phones," said Assistant District Attorney Courtney Price. "Rope - two different types of rope - five different sets of pliers, a pocket knife, a large roll of duct tape and what appears to be somewhat of a drill."

The judge allowed Cruz to not show his face in court over possible identification issues, because witnesses and the victims described him as a white male in his 50's, while Cruz is 22 and his attorney says he is Hispanic.

"Well, it sounds a little different," said defense attorney Tom Vukmirovits. "A 50-year-old versus a 22-year-old, well, that sounds like a bit of an age discrepancy."

Cruz was charged in 2012 with indecent exposure in Auburn, but those charges were dismissed after a court clinician found him incompetent.

In this case, the two 15-year-olds and 14-year-old all described a similarly frightening encounter with the suspect.

"When she was walking on Apricot Street in Worcester, the man came up behind her, grabbed her arm and tried to pull them into the wooded area," said Price. "She wasn't able to get him off of her until she turned around and punched him."

And Cruz allegedly admitted to police that he was involved.

"I'm not sure what he said — I can just tell you that he has some English barriers," said Vukmirovits.

Cruz is being held on $500,000 cash bail. He is due back in court May 5.

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