A Buckeye mother was attacked in her home as part of an alleged plot arranged by her fiancé and a man he met online, police in Arizona say. The woman was at the property with her two children when the attacker entered on 16 October.
The incident happened at about 6pm near Southern Avenue and Miller Road in Buckeye, west of Phoenix. Police said the woman fought off the intruder, who fled before officers arrived.
Adrian Ayala, 20, was arrested at his home in nearby Goodyear the following day. Investigators allege he told them he had agreed online with the woman’s fiancé to sexually assault her.
According to an arrest report cited by local media, the woman’s 17-month-old child was also struck during the assault. She managed to get outside and raise the alarm, while a neighbour called police.
Security footage from the home helped investigators identify Ayala, police said. The video was later shared on a neighbourhood social media platform, where a user recognised the suspect.
Ayala’s father also contacted Goodyear police after seeing footage of the incident on Facebook, according to the arrest report. He told officers that his son had claimed he was being paid by a YouTuber to recreate an attack.
Police seized electronic devices belonging to Ayala and the woman’s fiancé, 23-year-old Zarian Dyer. Detectives said messages found on the devices showed the two men communicating about the planned assault.
“The motive behind the plot is unknown at this time,” Carissa Planalp, a spokeswoman for Buckeye Police, said in a statement released on 29 October.
Dyer was arrested at work on Thursday near Roosevelt Street and Verrado Way. He is accused of aggravated assault, sexual abuse, attempted sexual assault, kidnapping and conspiracy.
Ayala also faces several charges connected with the attack. The allegations against both men have not been tested in court.
