A Maryland man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for breaking into a Georgetown home and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman in 2004.
The victim was asleep in her home in the 3300 block of Prospect Street NW Feb. 22, 2004, when a stranger broke in, took her clothing off and attacked her, prosecutors said. She managed to push him away, and he ran out the back door.
D.C. police developed 54-year-old Benjamin Paz of Montgomery Village as a suspect last year.
DNA taken from Paz in February 2017 matched DNA taken from the victim after the attack 13 years earlier, prosecutors said. Police arrestesd him in March 2017, and he has remained in custody.
“This prosecution is an example of our determination to ensure that violent crimes are not left unsolved,” U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu said. “By taking a fresh look at this case, we were pleased to join the Metropolitan Police Department and our other partners to get this dangerous predator off the street and achieve justice for the victim.”
Paz pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree burglary in December. As part of the plea agreement, Paz's prison term will be followed by supervised release and sex offender registration for the rest of his life.
