Brutal Sexual Assault In Alexandria Gets Man 25 Years In Prison

ALEXANDRIA, VA—A man will serve 25 years in prison for a 2018 sexual assault in an Alexandria apartment. Details of the gruesome incident presented at court revealed a child was present during the assault.

Felix Saaverdra, 32, of Maryland was previously convicted for statutory burglary with intent to rape, abduction, strangulation, object sexual penetration by force and assault and battery. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison with 25 years suspended. He is being held at the Alexandria jail pending transfer to the Virginia Department of Corrections.

The assault happened at an apartment building at 5800 Quantrell Avenue on Jan. 27, 2018. According to evidence revealed in court, Saaverdra knocked on the victim’s door and attacked the adult female homeowner when she opened the door. Upon forcing his way into the residence, he put the victim in a headlock. When she broke free, he strangled her to the point where she couldn't breathe. Prosecutors say the victim's 3-year-old child tried to protect her mother, but the attacker pushed the child away.

Saaverdra forced the woman and child into the bathroom, binding the victim's hands and putting a gag on her mouth. The attacker covered their heads with a towel.

Then the attacker sexually assaulted the woman with the child lying next to her on the floor.

Afterward Saaverdra attempted to lock the woman and child into the bathroom using an electric cord as a rope on the door. When the victim believed the attacker left, she went to the apartment’s security office and called police.

The attacker did not speak to the victim and child and wore fabric to cover his face. However, apartment building surveillance cameras captured images of his face before he covered it. Through the images, the victim identified Saaverdra as someone she knew. Her fiancée and Saaverdra's family also identified him, in addition to DNA tests from evidence.

Upon being identified as the suspect, Saaverdra fled to New York and to the Mexican border, where he was arrested by border patrol in April 2018.

After serving 25 years in prison, Saaverdra will be on supervised probation for five years and good behavior for 10 years. He will be required to register as a violent sexual offender and have no contact with the woman and child.

The victim received support from the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness program throughout the case.