WEST HARTFORD--A suspect is in custody after a woman was sexually assaulted on Friday afternoon.
The woman had arranged a Craigslist transaction, and when the person on the other end of the transaction arrived he assaulted her outside her home, forced her inside and raped her, according to West Hartford Police.
"He held her there in her own home, against her will, for quite some time," Sergeant Eric Rocheleau said.
The assault occurred at a home just blocks from Corbin's Corner around 2 p.m.
Police said the victim tried to call 911, but the suspect stopped her. When she got a hold of police, it didn't take them long to find Joshua Jose Cordero, 26, of Hartford.
"Pretty much as soon as the call came in, one of our officers in the area spotted the person and stopped him," Sergeant Rochealeau said. "It was within a minute of us receiving the call."
The suspect was captured not far from the home after trying to get away on a bicycle.
The woman was taken to the hospital but is expected to be okay.
Cordero is charged with home invasion, burglary, kidnapping, sexual assault in the first degree, sexual assault in the third degree, unlawful restraint in the third degree and assault in the third degree.
He is being held on $1 million bond.
West Hartford Police said preliminary checks on Cordero show no report of criminal history.
Officers urge internet users to make sure if they use Craigslist, or any online forum for sales, they make transactions in a safe place, and have another person present. West Hartford Police welcome residents to do so at the police station.