A Maryland man was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges he attacked four women he met on Craigslist.
Edgar D. Romero, of Bladensburg, Md., pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court last September to two counts of first degree sexual abuse while armed, one count of first degree burglary, and one count of robbery while armed. Each count was related to a different victim.
Romero contacted the women between December 2008 and February 2009 through Craigslist advertisements for "erotic services", according to evidence in the case. He met with the victims at hotels in the District, and threatened them with a knife or gun if they did not cooperate. Prosecutors said he sexually assaulted two of the victims, and helped his accomplice sexually assault another.
The U.S. Attorney's office said Romero also stole items including laptops, cell phones, and credit cards from the victims. Before leaving, he threatened victims with harm if they reported him to police, prosecutors said. Romero was arrested February 27, 2009.
Upon his release from prison, Romero will spend the rest of his life on supervised release. He is also required to permanently register as a sex offender.
