Two women were attacked a month apart in late 2022 in Aurora and Adams County.
AURORA, Colo. — Investigators are concerned that a man they believe attacked two women about a month apart in 2022 could have victimized others who may not have reported the crimes.
On Friday, the Aurora Police Department and Adams County Sheriff’s Office put out a joint news release about the attacks.
Jerricho Joseph Esquivel, 22, of Thornton, is in the Arapahoe County Jail on charges of sexual assault, second-degree kidnapping, unlawful sexual contact and third-degree assault.
According to the release, the charges stem from an attack on Nov. 21, 2022, in the 15400 block of East 13th Avenue in Aurora. Esquivel also is a suspect in a sexual assault that occurred in Adams County a month earlier on Oct. 22, 2022, near the intersection of Acoma Street and Acoma Way, just outside Thornton city limits. Formal charges by the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office are pending.
In both incidents, investigators said Esquivel used a black firearm to sexually assault his female victims at gunpoint. Neither victim knew Esquivel or had previous contact with him before the attacks.
Given the similarities of the cases, investigators are concerned there could be more victims who either never reported they were assaulted or were attacked in another metro Denver city and reported the crime to their local police department.
Aurora and Adams County detectives want to speak with anyone who might have been a victim of a similar crime or who has information about similar attacks taking place along the Front Range.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Reference Aurora Police Department case number AP22-321480 and/or Adams County Sheriff’s Office case number 22-17108.
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