AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This story contains details of an alleged sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor who needs help, the local organization SAFE provides phone counseling at 512-267-SAFE (7233).
Two men were arrested this week and charged with aggravated sexual assault over an August 2020 incident that was reported near the University of Texas campus.
According to police affidavits, 22-year-old Benjamin Berkowitz and 21-year-old Andres Aiza offered to walk two women home from a fraternity party on Aug. 27, 2020.
One of the victims told police Berkowitz was aggressive on the walk home, trying to grab and touch her. When she told Berkowitz to stop and that she had a boyfriend, he allegedly replied, “F--- your boyfriend.”
“Berkowitz continued to grab at the victim and try to kiss her during the walk,” the affidavit states.
All four of them went into the victim’s apartment and into a vanity room, police said. The victim said Berkowitz assaulted her before she was able to free herself and run into another room screaming.
She told police Berkowitz then followed her into the bedroom before assaulting her again, telling her that he and Aiza had discussed their plan beforehand. The victim said she was then sexually assaulted by Aiza. The affidavit said Aiza had trapped and assaulted the other victim before she was “passed off” to Berkowitz.
Berkowitz allegedly brought one of the victims into the bathroom and locked the door before continuing to sexually assault her.
One of the victims was then able to free herself from the locked room and run to the other room screaming, the affidavit said. Other roommates heard the screaming and called 911.
Officers provided both victims with a SAFE kit, which showed sperm samples were a “very strong” match with Aiza and Berkowitz’s DNA. The two suspects were also captured on the apartment building’s surveillance cameras, police said.
Travis County Sherriff’s Office records show both men were booked into jail on Monday afternoon.
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