A male inmate detained by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is accused of sexually assaulting a female inside the Intake Transfer and Release Facility near 27th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.
Justin Avery had been arrested on April 12th, accused of assaulting five different women near Arizona State’s Tempe campus.
Before 4 a.m. on April 17th, Avery was on the male side of the court waiting area of the Intake Transfer and Release facility.
The facility is separated into two sides - a male waiting area with about a dozen inmates on this day - and a female waiting side with just a couple of inmates.
Security camera surveillance video obtained via a public records request by ABC15 shows Avery dropping to the ground on the male side and beginning to crawl over to the female side of the facility, undetected by the detention officer on duty.
When questioned later Avery told investigators he crawled like a “spider,” according to court documents, going on to say he was drawn to one of the females by “her fat ass.”
Avery then got behind the woman who was asleep - and lowered his pants.
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Court records say another woman said aloud “hey, get off of her.” The video then shows Avery shushing that woman. The noise alerted the officer who called for backup. The entire incident lasted about a minute and a half.
A Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told ABC15, “The Intake, Transfer and Release facility employs a direct supervision model which allows for efficiency, safety, and dignity for all involved."
This model, which is employed nationwide, has helped us reduce wait times for arrestees and arresting agencies while streamlining the booking process. Although males and females are kept on separate sides of the waiting room while completing the booking process or awaiting court hearings, detention officers eyes cannot be everywhere, all of the time.
This inmate crawled around a pony wall to the female side of the room and attempted to assault an inmate, all within a minute and a half. This area is consistently monitored and entered by detention staff throughout the day. Once seen, detention officers responded immediately and removed the inmate to an enclosed cell.
The ITR has been in operation for more than four years and this is the first incident of its kind. MCSO will continue looking for research-backed ways to improve and accomplish that mission.”
Avery told investigators in his Miranda interview his intention was to “rape” the victim, per court records.
Avery was charged with an additional account of sexual assault because of this incident.
