Intruder Sexually Assaulted Princeton Woman In Her Sleep: Police

Princeton, NJ -- A 28-year-old Princeton woman woke up to a real-life nightmare early Wednesday morning.

She awoke just after midnight to find she was being sexually assaulted, Princeton Police said Wednesday afternoon.

She was able to escape her house on the 200 block of Birch Avenue and call 9-1-1.

Police responded and were able to capture the man, identified as 26-year-old Pedro Arias-Santiago, outside the woman’s house.

Arias-Santiago is an undocumented citizen from Guatemala. Protocols were followed regarding notification to Immigration Customs Enforcement, police said Wednesday afternoon.

Police allege Arias-Santiago had several pieces of clothing that belonged to the victim in his possession. Police believe he was able to get into the woman’s home through an unlocked door.

"There is absolutely no indication that the accused and the victim knew each other," Lt. Jon Bucchere said.

Arias-Santiago was charged with aggravated sexual assault, burglary and theft.

Bail was set at $200,000 no 10% option. He was taken to the Mercer County Correctional Center Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier this month, sexual assault charges against another undocumented citizen were dismissed due to “insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.”

However, Arnoldo Agreda-Rodriguez is being accused of threatening to kill his roommate with a knife. He is also being sought by federal authorities.

Princeton doesn’t turn over illegal immigrants accused of minor offenses to federal immigration authorities, but it also doesn't view itself as what is known as a "sanctuary city."

"A more accurate description is that we are a welcoming community," Mayor Liz Lempert said on Wednesday. "We care about public safety for everyone, and that requires the cooperation of our residents. Our police are committed to creating a climate where victims and witnesses in our immigrant communities feel comfortable coming forward without fear deportation. While victims and witnesses are not asked about their immigration status by our local officers, an undocumented person who has been arrested for an indictable offense will be reported to federal authorities by our police. The department follows the New Jersey Attorney General's Directive 2007-3 on this matter."

Councilwoman Heather Howard, liaison to the Human Services Commission, previously said that if immigrants don't trust law enforcement, that undermines everyone's safety, and that "diversity enriches the community."

Earlier this year, the Human Services Commission, the police department, the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF) and Unidad Latina en Acción NJ (ULA) began an outreach campaign following an announcement from the Department of Homeland Security that the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would conduct a series of raids across the nation.

The raids target children and families who were captured after May 1, 2014, after crossing the southern border and have been issued final orders of removal by an immigration court. In most cases, this occurred in absentia, and without their knowledge.

In February, two immigrants were detained in Princeton during such a raid.

The attached image of Pedro Arias-Santiago was provided by Princeton Police