CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — A 22-year-old man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo seeking asylum is accused of sexual abuse at a hotel in Cheektowaga.
Kindu Z. Jeancy, was arraigned Saturday in Cheektowaga Town Court on one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and one count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree.
Investigators say the incident happened Friday afternoon inside a hotel room on the 600 block of Dingens Street.
The Erie County District Attorney's office says Jeancy allegedly pushed 'the victim onto a couch, holding her arms down and forcing himself on top of the victim to prevent her from leaving the room.'
Jeancy is scheduled to return to court on August 17 for a felony hearing. He is currently being held at the Erie County Holding Center without bail. If convicted Jeancy could face up to seven years in prison.
This was the second incident involving an asylum seeker being charged with a sex crime. Jesus Guzman-Bermudez, 26, of Venezuela was arraigned on August 4 in Cheektowaga Town Court on one count of rape in the first degree (class “B” violent felony), one count of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, one count of endangering the welfare of a child (class “A” misdemeanors) and one count of harassment in the second degree (violation).
According to prosecutors, Guzman-Bermudez allegedly raped a victim he knew on Aug. 2. They say he held the victim's head down during the rape inside a hotel room in the 4000 block of Genesee Street in the Town of Cheektowaga. Prosecutors also allege that the crime took place in front of a 3-year-old child and that the purported victim then told a caseworker for the migrants who in turn notified Cheektowaga Police to begin an investigation.
Following reports of the incidents, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz began calling for the removal of the migrants from the hotel as well as the arrival of the National Guard to be placed at all hotels housing refugees.