BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A Bloomington man accused of raping a woman in September is now facing additional charges.
According to court records filed last week, Rodrigo Perez Curiel sent explicit messages to a 10-year-old via Facebook Messenger. The 10-year-old made first contact with Curiel, but their conversation quickly spiraled out of control.
Police reported that the 10-year-old began messaging Curiel at 2:37 a.m. on Sept. 29. Their conversation lasted until 3:46 a.m.
Over the course of the conversation, Curiel asked the 10-year-old if she had ever “been with someone.” As they continued talking, Curiel became more forward with the juvenile, asking if she wanted to have sex. The child refused Curiel’s advances.
Police discovered Curiel’s conversation with the 10-year-old while they were forensically analyzing his phone during a different investigation. Curiel had previously been arrested for raping a woman near a roundabout on West 17th Street in Bloomington.
The alleged rape happened on Sept. 29. Curiel was arrested on Oct. 1.
Upon his arrest, Curiel tried to escape police custody, running from a sallyport at the Monroe County Jail while in handcuffs. Police quickly re-apprehended Curiel.
After the incident, he was charged with three counts of rape compelled by imminent threat of force, one count of strangulation and one count of escape.
All three of the rape charges Curiel faces are Level 1 Felonies. The maximum penalty for a Level 1 Felony in Indiana is a 40-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000.
Once police discovered Curiel’s messages with the 10-year-old, an additional charge — soliciting a child less than 14 years of age for intercourse — was tacked onto his ledger. The new charge is a Level 5 Felony.
Curiel’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 25.
