NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: May 26, 2004
 

Hartford Police Department's Youth and Family Services Detectives Make Arrests in Three Separate Juvenile Sexual Assault Cases.  

(Hartford) - On Saturday, May 15, 2004, Detectives Sabine Nyenhuis and Robert Davis Jr. of the Hartford Police Department's Youth and Family Services Division made an arrest of Joe Santana, age 19, of Hartford charging him with Assault in the Second Degree and two (2) counts of Risk of Injury to a Minor. He was issued a $75,000.00 bond and was to be arraigned in Hartford Superior Court today.  

Hartford Police originally began this investigation on May 6, 2004, when Santana brought his seven month daughter into the Connecticut Children's Medical Center with a broken left femur (the strongest bone in the body) and a bruised eye. At the time, Santana was the sole caretaker for the infant and stated the injury to her leg occurred while he was changing her diaper and her eye injury occurred from a falling toy.  

After obtaining medical examination results, Detectives were able to gather enough evidence to disprove Santana's claims. An arrest warrant was then issued for Santana on Friday, May 14, 2004.

On Tuesday, May 18, 2004, HPD Youth and Family Services Detectives arrested Luis Caraballo, age 49 of Middletown.  He was arrested in Middletown, Tuesday evening by Hartford Police Detective Victor Otero, head of the investigation. Caraballo is accused of sexually assaulting a twelve (12) year old female. Caraballo is a friend of the victim's father and allegedly held the victim against her will inside her home during the assault. He was charged with two (2) counts of Sexual Assault in the First Degree, two (2) counts of Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, two (2) counts of Risk of Injury to a Minor, and one (1) count of Unlawful Restraint. His bond was set at $250,000.00 and he was arraigned at Hartford Superior Court where he was remanded to custody still held on the quarter of a million dollar bond, pending a June court date. 

In another case, Orville Harris, age 34 of Hartford, was arrested on Thursday, May 20, 2004, when Harris turned himself in to Detective Christopher Arace at Hartford Police Headquarters. Orville Harris is accused of sexually assaulting a fourteen (14) year old female relative on numerous occasions. He is charged with one (1) count of Sexual Assault in the First Degree, two (2) counts of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, two (2) counts of Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, one (1)  count of Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree, four (4) counts of Risk of Injury to a Minor and one (1) count of Assault in the Third Degree. Harris' bond was set at $250,000.00 and arraignment scheduled for May 20, 2004 in Hartford Superior Court.

"Statutory rape makes up approximately twenty five percent of the Youth and Family Services Division's caseload.  In order to reduce the frequency of this type of crime and to establish partnerships with the City of Hartford's school system as well as the students themselves, the Youth and Family Services Division began speaking with students during health classes at the local high schools. This is being done in an informal setting, where a dialogue and rapport are started with the students making them aware of the legal aspects of underage sexual activity along with their consequences," stated Sergeant Jim Bernier, HPD's Youth and Family Services Division Supervisor.  

Sexual Assault in the Second Degree (Connecticut General Statute 53a-71, a.k.a. "Statutory Rape") is a "Class B Felony" which is punishable by not less than one (1) year nor more than twenty (20) years and/or a fine up to $15,000.00. A person is guilty of sexual assault in the second degree when such person engages in sexual intercourse with another person and: (1) Such other person is thirteen years of age or older but under sixteen years of age and the actor is more than two years older than such person.

Sergeant James A. Bernier
Supervisor, Youth and Family Services Division
(860)527-7300 ext. 5251

Contact:   Nancy Mulroy, Public Information Officer, Hartford Police Department,  (860) 543-8746
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