PD: Tempe man arrested, accused of sexually assaulting woman

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Gabriel Cedillos

TEMPE, Ariz. - Court documents show a Tempe man is accused of multiple criminal offenses stemming from an alleged kidnapping and sexual assault.

According to investigators, 40-year-old Gabriel A. Cedillos was arrested on Nov. 14, after a woman contacted Tempe Police and claims she was sexually assaulted between Nov. 13 and 14, and was eventually able to flee and call police.

The alleged victim, investigators say, met Cedillos in September, and that while Cedillos tried to start a relationship with her, the alleged victim refused.

"The victim said she would only hang out with [Cedillos] to partake in using recreational drugs together; the victim was a recovering addict," read a portion of the court documents.

On the day of the alleged assault, investigators say Cedillos asked the alleged victim to send some explicit photos of herself and hang out. The alleged victim then sent Cedillos a topless photo of herself because she feared he would not allow her to hang out with him and use drugs. The alleged victim then went to Cedillos' home, where they drank and used marijuana. Afterward, the alleged victim left, but realized she did not have any money to get home. She then went back to Cedillos' home to ask for money.

"[Cedillos] told the victim he would give her money if she had sex with him. The victim refused but [Cedillos] kept pressuring her, and the victim finally told [Cedillos] that she had only been hanging out with him to use recreational drugs and was not interested in him and did not want to have sex," read a portion of the court documents.

Afterward, police officials say Cedillos became upset and threw the alleged victim on the ground. Court documents documented multiple alleged instances of sexual assault. Cedillos, investigators say, also forced the woman to consume drugs and alcohol.

"The victim told [Cedillos] she would press charges on him and he told her he would call an attorney, deny everything and send ‘his people’ after her. The suspect also stated, ‘I’m loaded,'" read a portion of the court documents, while also noting that the alleged victim never saw any weapons, and Cedillos never displayed any weapons.

The alleged victim, according to police, managed to escape from the home on the afternoon of Nov. 14, and flagged down a person who lives in the area. That person later called 911.

Investigators say during an interview that was done after Cedillos was read his Miranda rights, he denied having sexual contact with the alleged victim prior to the incident, and said it was the alleged victim who reached out to him to hang out, that the alleged victim slept over at his home willingly, and denied touching the alleged victim inappropriately.

A judge set a $75,000 secured appearance bond for Cedillos, who is accused of kidnapping, assault, sexual assault, and sexual abuse. If he is able to make bond, he will be subjected to electronic monitoring, with curfew restrictions. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 24.