WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 26-year-old Lake Worth Beach man is facing multiple charges, including sexual battery, after police said he broke into his ex-girlfriend's home and assaulted her.
Peter Benjamin Pedro-Mendez faces charges of sexual battery, burglary with battery and false imprisonment after West Palm Beach police said he broke into his ex-girlfriend's home and attacked her early Friday.
The victim told police that she and Pedro-Mendez dated from February 2018 until Memorial Day weekend.
Although she did not report it to law enforcement, she said Pedro-Mendez began harassing her and stalking her since the end of their relationship.
The victim's current boyfriend met her Thursday and spent the evening at her home.
When he left her residence at 2:40 a.m., she had to move her vehicle because it was blocking his vehicle in the driveway.
She told police that she noticed a red Toyota Camry with the engine running parked on the side of the road directly in front of her home. She suspected it was Pedro-Mendez's vehicle, but did not see him. According to the victim, her current boyfriend waited for her to enter her home before driving away.
Once she entered her home and locked the door, she saw Pedro-Mendez standing in the doorway of a bedroom in her home.
Police said Pedro-Mendez cursed at the victim, grabbed her by the hair and slammed her against the wall before sexually assaulting her. At some point, she bit one of his biceps, struck him with her hands and scratched him.
During the struggle, Pedro-Mendez took the victim's phone and prevented her from calling for help. Police said he stood blocking the doorway when she tried to leave and prevented her from calling for help.
The victim told police that Pedro-Mendez then paced her home and continued to berate her while preventing her from leaving. When he did leave, he took her nightwear, threw it in the garbage and took the garbage can outside.
She told police that the window air-conditioning unit in the south bedroom appeared disturbed and was possibly how he got inside.
The victim had bruising throughout her hands and knuckles. She also had a hematoma on the back of her head. Her ripped nightwear was recovered in the garbage can.