Crime

Convicted rapist held on $500K bail in South End assault

August 24, 2016

1 minute to read

A convicted rapist was arraigned Wednesday on charges of assaulting another woman behind the bleachers of a South End playground.

Eduardo Rodriguez, 31, was charged in Roxbury Municipal Court with aggravated rape, indecent assault and battery, armed robbery, intimidation of a witness, and aggravated kidnapping. He pleaded not guilty and was held on $500,000 bail.

Authorities said the woman was walking to the Sheraton Boston Hotel early Monday morning at about 1 a.m. when Rodriguez approached her on a bike near Greenwich Park and Claremont Street, grabbed her, and said: “I have a knife and will put it to your neck, follow me.”

Rodriguez brought the woman to Carter Park where he sexually assaulted her, authorities said. He also allegedly stole about $250 from the her wallet before fleeing.

Rodriguez previously served a nine-year prison sentence for the 2007 rape of a woman at Ruggles Station. He was released in December and was serving five years probation.

He was wearing a GPS anklet at the time of Monday’s alleged assault, according to authorities. He removed the anklet several hours after the alleged incident took place, prosecutors said.

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Riley said there is video surveillance evidence of him and the victim. Family members also told police that he had borrowed a blue bike at the time of the crime.