An accusation of rape last week in a Cheektowaga hotel against an asylum-seeker from Venezuela has touched off a firestorm of criticism from Republicans who have been critical of Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s response to the migrant crisis.
The Republican Caucus of the Erie County Legislature, Erie County Republican Chairman Michael Kracker and Chrissy Casilio, Republican challenger to Poloncarz in this year’s election, all released statements blaming him.
“This problem is at our doorstep because the County Executive welcomed it,” the caucus said in a statement.
Poloncarz condemned the reported rape and said that “any asylum seeker who shatters the sacred trust placed in them by violating the law, including against a fellow asylum seeker, as in this matter, should be swiftly prosecuted and deported after they are punished for their crimes.”
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Jesus D. Guzman-Bermudez, 26, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel on the 4000 block of Genesee Street in Cheektowaga on Aug. 2. A statement from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said the reported rape took place in the presence of a 3-year-old child.
Guzman-Bermudez was arraigned Friday morning before Cheektowaga Town Court Justice David M. Stevens on multiple charges, including felony counts of first-degree rape and second-degree unlawful imprisonment, a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child and a violation of second-degree harassment. He was held without bail, and a temporary order of protection was issued on behalf of the victim. Prosecutors said the victim and the suspect know each other.
Since mid-June, New York City has sent 16 busloads with about 530 migrants to Western New York after running out of room in its own emergency shelters, according to Jericho Road Community Health Center, one of the local organizations working with the asylum-seekers who have arrived.
The asylum-seekers are being housed in three hotels near the airport.
Many counties outside New York City have balked at the idea of taking in the asylum-seekers, including the leaders of seven counties in Western New York who declared states of emergency to bar local hotels from accepting migrants.
Erie County was the exception, and Poloncarz said in June that the emergency orders were likely illegal and “morally repugnant.” In a ruling in Westchester County, a judge agreed that it was illegal.
On Tuesday, after the DA’s announcement about the charges against Guzman-Bermudez, Republicans were quick to blast Poloncarz.
“This individual was welcomed to our community by far-left politicians and committed a heinous crime in front of a young child,” Kracker said. “Erie County residents have been lectured and maligned by Mark Poloncarz and Kathy Hochul for raising concerns about these illegal migrants coming to our community. Now, we are dealing with the reality of allowing unvetted individuals into our community that make Erie County less safe.”
Casilio held a news conference and said in a statement that “Poloncarz brought this problem to our community. Our concerns are real and valid, and now Cheektowaga, Amherst, and Hamburg bear this burden.”
Organizations working with the migrants also responded to reports of the attack.
“At Jericho Road Community Health Center we are caring for the family involved in this complicated situation,” Jericho Road CEO and founder Myron Glick said. “Our partner organization is assisting us by taking over the care of the incarcerated gentleman accused of this crime. We will focus on the woman and her child. While the investigation and criminal process are ongoing, we expect that the rights of all parties involved will be respected.”
Guzman-Bermudez is scheduled to return to town court for a felony hearing at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.