Yuma man formally charged for sexual assault, burglary

Suspect remains in custody on cash-only bond - 13 On Your Side's Arlette Yousif reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A Yuma man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in front of her own child was formally charged in court on Tuesday.

26-year-old Antonio Payne is officially charged with one count of sexual assault and two counts of second-degree burglary.

The official charges state that he broke into the victim's home on West 32nd Street near Eighth Avenue back in January, and allegedly touched her against her will. The document also states that penetration also occurred.

"It's my understanding of what had occurred, the defendant went into the victim's residence at night and committed these acts against her in the presence of her own child," says Yuma County Prosecutor Andrew Orozco.

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) says it happened around 4:30 in the morning.

"The initial investigation showed that an unknown male subject entered a residence, sexually assaulted a female victim, and then fled the area," explains Yuma Police Department Sgt. Lori Franklin.

Although the alleged sexual assault is said to have occurred in January, Payne was arrested two months later in March after the YPD Sex Crimes Division served a search warrant on Payne's home.

"It did not happen overnight, but again it was through diligent follow up… through our sex crimes division that the suspect was located, was identified and evidence was gathered and he was booked," says Sgt. Franklin.

The victim was present in the courtroom and appeared to be crying during the hearing as a victim's advocate spoke about the night in question.

Payne is still being held inside the Yuma County Jail on a $200,000 cash-only bond. He's expected back in court in April.