DC Fire And EMS Recruit From Silver Spring Charged With Rape

Editor's note: This article contains details about a reported rape.

SILVER SPRING, MD — Police have arrested a D.C. fire and EMS recruit they say raped a woman outside a Silver Spring bar.

Melvin Sanchez, 25, of Silver Spring, was charged with second-degree rape, third-degree sex offense, and fourth-degree sex offense, court records reveal. WJLA first reported the story on Wednesday.

According to charging documents, at about 1:22 a.m. on May 24, Montgomery County Police received a call from a concerned witness requesting a welfare check for a woman in the 8900 block of Walden Rd.

Upon arrival, the responding officer located a 2016 Black Dodge Charger with its lights on. As the officer approached the vehicle, two men exited — one of which was Sanchez. A woman was "visibly intoxicated and unresponsive in the passenger side rear seat," charging documents reveal.

Responding units were able to locate the original callers. The two witnesses told police that they saw Sanchez on top of the woman inside the Dodge Charger.

"The witnesses also reported seeing movement coming from within the interior of the vehicle, further described as Sanchez on top of (the victim), moving up and down, a motion consistent with sexual intercourse," according to the statement of charges.

The woman was taken to Shady Grove Adventist Hospital for a sexual assault forensic examination. During an interview with authorities, the victim said the only memory she has is drinking three alcoholic beverages while out with friends. None of those friends, she told police, was Sanchez — a total stranger.

"(The victim) recalled telling her friends she had to leave, but has no memory of leaving the establishment or anything that followed," charging documents show.

Sanchez was taken into custody and interviewed at the Silver Spring District Station. In an interview with detectives, Sanchez reportedly denied having sex or any sexual contact with the woman.

Samples collected from the victim during the sexual assault forensic examination were analyzed. Police say Sanchez's DNA was recovered.

Sanchez — who was training to be a first responder in D.C. — was later charged in connection to the rape, police said.

In an interview with Patch, a spokesman with the D.C. fire and EMS department confirmed that Sanchez was a member of Recruit Class 388, and was scheduled to graduate in August. In light of these charges, Sanchez will not graduate with the rest of his class.

Within minutes of learning about the incident from Montgomery County Police, the spokesman said the department put him on paid administrative leave.

Recruits have limited time off — reserved for vacation or sick days, the spokesman said. Once that paid time off has been exhausted, Sanchez will be on administrative leave without any pay.