Crime & Safety

Police Charge Man in Sexual Assault Caught on Tape at Mr. Smoothie

Yera Basnueva, 31, of Silver Spring, has been charged with first-degree rape and second-degree assault.

Police have filed charges against a man whom they say tried to sexually assault a worker at a Mr. Smoothie in Rockville on Monday morning.

Yera Basnueva, 31, of 12000 block of Valleywood Drive, was charged with first-degree rape and second-degree assault, police said Tuesday. 

Basnueva is being held without bond.

Find out what's happening in Rockvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police said Basnueva entered the Mr. Smoothie at 33 Maryland Ave. at around 9:30 a.m., introducing himself to the store employee as “Yera.”

After about 30 minutes of conversation, he asked to use the bathroom and he came out with his pants down, police allege.

Find out what's happening in Rockvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Pointing to video surveillance as evidence, police claim that Basnueva forced the employee onto the counter and tried to sexually assault her and punched her in the face.

But the employee fought back, punching and kicking until he was spurred to leave the store, police said.

Basnueva was arrested Monday night near his home, police said.

A court date was scheduled for Dec. 6.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.