Disturbing Allegations Emerge In Security Guard Sex Assault Case

NORWALK, CT — Edwin Espichan, the 35-year-old Kohl's security guard accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile girl, fondled the juvenile's breasts, asked her to perform oral sex and reached out to her on Instagram following the assault, according to the arrest warrant obtained by Patch.

Espichan was arrested at the Connecticut Avenue department store on Friday in connection with the assault, and remains in custody following his arraignment in Norwalk Superior Court on Monday.

In the eight-page arrest warrant, police detectives paint a shocking portrait of behavior on the part of Espichan during and after the incident, which police said occurred on June 19.

It started after two juvenile girls were detained at the store by Espichan after they tried to shoplift sweatshirts and headbands. They were made to fill out paperwork that asked for such personal information as their names, addresses, cell phone numbers and Instagram accounts, among others, police said.

While the two were kept in the store's loss prevention office, Espichan told the girls that they had three choices, he could alert their parents and the police, and they could receive a fine of $270; he could just call their parents, and they could pay the same fine; or they could have no fine, and he would only record that the headbands were taken.

It was at this point, with one of the juveniles beginning to cry, he began asking the girls inappropriate sexually charged questions, such as whether either of them had ever had sex, according to police.

Espichan also asked the girls to perform a "sexy dance" for him, which they refused to do.

The girls had tried to shoplift the sweatshirts by going to a dressing room and putting them on, and while they were detained by Espichan, one was forced to take off the sweatshirt and reveal her sports bra, according to police.

Before that, while one of the girls went to the bathroom to clean up after crying, Espichan told the remaining girl that he thought she was sexy, fondled her breasts and asked for oral sex, which she refused, police said.

He also asked her for intercourse, and offered to blindfold her so she could imagine it was someone else, but she refused by saying she was having her period. He did not believe her, and made her show him by moving her shorts to reveal her genitalia, according to police.

After close to an hour of detention, Espichan let the two go and offered to drive them home, which they refused, police said. They were allowed to keep the sweatshirts.

That same day after they had left the store, one of the girls received a message from Espichan on Instagram: "Hey So is u friend ok She feel better" with a thumb up emoji. He continued, "good So those things I gave U, are my gift 4 u."

Police detectives traced the Instagram post back to Espichan, and after interviewing him, during which he appeared "visibly shaken" when asked to show the detectives the surveillance footage of the incident. He also never reported the incident to police.

He eventually did, however, turn over the surveillance tape, which showed the girls leave the store, Espichan follow them, and then the three of them return.

Espichan's attorney, Wayne Keeney, argued in court that the allegations against his client came 2 days after the incident took place, and only after the victim's parents found out.

In requesting bail be lowered to $25,000, Keeney said that Espichan, who originally immigrated with his family from Peru, is not a flight risk, in part because he has lived at his current address in White Plains for more than 10 years. He also has been a loss prevention officer (security guard) for five years and has a Green Card.

While Judge Stephanie McLaughlin did not keep bond at the initial amount of $500,000, she did not lower it to $25,000, nor did she lower it the $100,000 the state bail commission recommended, but lowered it to $250,000.

Keeney said after hearing that his client would not be able to post bond at that level, so Espichan was transported to the Bridgeport Correctional Center.

"The defendant had an influential position of power over these juveniles," McLaughlin said.

Outside of the courthouse, Keeney said that his client was "a gentleman, who was shocked by the allegations."

Espichan is facing charges of:

• Fourth-degree sexual assault
• Second-degree reckless endangerment (2 counts)
• First-degree unlawful restraint (2 counts)
• Disorderly conduct (2 counts)

While a plea was not entered Monday, Keeney said his client would be pleading not guilty.

"I've been at this a long time," Keeney said, hinting that he questions the story that the two victims gave. "We have a lot of investigating to do on this."

Espichan is next scheduled to appear in court on July 31.