Marathon man charged with sexual battery

Marathon man charged with sexual battery

A Marathon man was arrested today, charged with sexual battery on a 23 year old Big Pine Key woman.

The attack took place on April 5^th at a hotel in Marathon. The victim reported it the following day. She told Detective Rosa DiGiovanni she got into a fight with her boyfriend, so she went to stay at the Blackfin Hotel. At one point, she said she called a taxi and asked the driver to take her to get some marijuana. The driver dropped her off on 39^th Street, telling her there were lots of people around there that sell marijuana. She was walking down the street when the taxi returned with a black male inside. The taxi driver told her the black male – later identified as 57 year old Terry Burgest – had what she wanted.

She told the taxi driver to take her back to the hotel. She said she went into her room and a few minutes later, Burgest knocked on the room’s door. She said he gave her cocaine, which she snorted and he smoked crack. After a while she said she told him to leave, which he did.

She said he returned later and she let him in because she thought he had more drugs for her. She said she was drinking an ice tea and left the room for a minute to go to the bathroom. She said she returned and finished the tea, then started to feel funny. She said that is when he raped her.

She told the detective she fought him off and he finally grabbed her purse and fled from the room. She said she did not report the rape right away because she is on probation and didn’t want to get in trouble.

The victim was able to positively identify her attacker as Burgest, who has a large distinctive growth on the back of his neck and always wears a towel over it to hide it.

A warrant was issued for Burgest and he was arrested today. He was charged with sexual battery and robbery and he was booked into jail.

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