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A new era in local transit as LCTA becomes NEPTA

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Avant Publications acquires Times Leader Media Group

<p>EXETER &#8212; A woman held captive and sexually assaulted inside her residence tossed hot chicken soup at her attacker, according to court records.</p><p>Court records suggest that the alleged attack happened less than two weeks after the defendant was released from prison.</p><p>Borough police allege Joshua Perez, 25, stalked an elderly woman for about two hours before entering her Susquehanna Avenue residence when she left to feed cats early Thursday morning.</p><p>Court records say when she returned home, she encountered Perez inside her residence. Perez told the woman, &#8220;I&#8217;m horny,&#8221; and &#8220;I&#8217;m not leaving until I (lewd comment).&#8221;</p><p>Police allege Perez used duct tape to bound her hands and fondled himself in front of her.</p><p>She pleaded with Perez to remove chicken soup from the oven. As she took the hot pot out of the oven, she threw the steaming contents at Perez, striking him in the neck and chest, court records say.</p><p>Perez stayed in the house for about three hours while the woman attempted to make conversation with him. Perez removed all his clothes and performed a self lewd sex act near the woman, police allege.</p><p>Police said in court records Perez removed the woman&#8217;s pants and underwear and attempted to rape her. She stopped him saying she had surgery.</p><p>Perez forced the woman to perform a lewd sex act on him. He left the woman&#8217;s house after she gave him a plastic case containing pack of cigarettes and two $20 bills, court records say.</p><p>Police in West Pittston located Perez in the area of Luzerne Avenue and Blackman streets. Police said Perez had two $20 bills and the plastic case containing cigarettes.</p><p>Court records say Perez on Wednesday entered a residence on Cornelia Street in Pittston where he exposed himself to a woman.</p><p>Perez was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Carmody in West Pittston on charges of rape, burglary, unlawful restraint, criminal trespass, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, indecent assault and indecent exposure. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $250,000 bail.</p><p>Court records show Perez was recently released on parole on July 23 from Lehigh County Jail. He was arrested in Carbon County in February on burglary charges, which was a violation of his parole on indecent exposure charges out of Lehigh County.</p><p>A Lehigh County judge issued an order allowing Perez to be released from jail on July 17.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Joshua-Perez-WOLF-TV-08012019-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Joshua Perez Courtesy of WOLF-TV </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Joshua-Perez-WOLF-TV-08012019-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Joshua Perez Courtesy of WOLF-TV </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Woman held captive tossed hot soup at alleged attacker