Man Arrested In Connection with Rape in Cemetery
A suspect has been arrested in connection with a shocking crime that occurred in Fort Pierce in early November. According to police, a 57-year-old man who is believed to be the perpetrator of a rape in a cemetery is now in custody. Fort Pierce Police spokeswoman Sgt. Melissa Jones explained that Gerald L. Spears, a resident of Avenue I, was charged with a number of crimes related to the incident: felony kidnapping and false imprisonment as well as felony sexual assault with force or weapon.The arrest was made by a team of Fort Pierce police detectives in conjunction with members of the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force. The police were able to identify Spears as the aggressor in the Pine Grove Cemetery rape after the woman he assaulted described Spears to officers. A key detail she provided was that Spears had a bad right eye and that she believed his nickname was “One Eye.” After hearing that description, an officer not assigned to that case informed those working on it that Spears went by that nickname and otherwise fit the description. After Fort Pierce police tracked down Spears, he was put into a photo lineup, where the Spears’ assault victim quickly identified him.According to the woman, she was walking before 1 a.m. trying to find a rooming house where she believed her friend was staying. When she arrived at the rooming house, a man said he knew where her friend was and would take her to that location. Instead, the man walked behind her and took out a knife, threatening to stab her if she did not keep moving. The man led her several blocks to the cemetery, where he held his knife to her throat and sexually assaulted her, at one point doing so on a gravestone, according to the woman. After the attack, police found her crying, standing in the road with torn clothing on Avenue J. Following his arrest and arraignment, Spears is now in the St. Lucie County jail, being held on $1.1 million bail.Sexual assault is a serious crime, and is one the justice system addresses with strong consequences. But if you have been wrongly accused, the system may feel very unfair. To secure the best outcome, you need an experienced Fort Pierce Sexual Assault attorney who can help you establish your innocence. Not every Fort Pierce criminal lawyer can navigate the intricacies and technicalities of this area of law, so a sexual assault attorney with experience representing those accused in these types of cases is essential. Jonathan Jay Kirschner, Esq., and Associates has been successfully defending those wrongfully accused for years in the Fort Pierce area, and may be able to assist you in your case.
