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Fayetteville man faces more charges in groping case

Jose Antonio Cruz, 34, of 2239 Wingate Road, now faces three counts of second-degree sexual offense and one count of second-degree rape.

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Jose Antonio Cruz
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Police filed additional charges on Friday against a Cross Creek Mall worker, who was charged last week with groping a woman applying for a job.

Jose Antonio Cruz, 34, of 2239 Wingate Road, now faces three counts of second-degree sexual offense and one count of second-degree rape.

The additional charges came after another woman reported similar incidents occurring on Aug. 27, Sept. 9 and Sept. 14, police said.

Cruz was charged last week with second-degree sexual offense, sexual battery and assault on a female, stemming from an alleged incident on Nov. 3.

A woman said a man who works at the mall claimed he was hiring her and took her to a back room to fill out additional paperwork. Once in the room, the man began touching her inappropriately and assaulting her, she told police.

After reviewing surveillance video and other evidence in the case, police arrested Cruz.

Cruz was being held under a $160,000 bond in the Cumberland County jail on Friday. 

The case is now being handled by the newly established Special Victims Unit of the Fayetteville Police Department.

 

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