Herndon police have arrested a man in connection with a reported sexual assault that occurred on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail yesterday (Monday).
Denis Humberto Navarette Romero, 31, has been charged with rape and abduction with the intent to defile after allegedly attacking a woman on the trail between Ferndale Avenue and Grace Street last night, the Herndon Police Department announced.
Officers responded to the trail at 8:51 p.m. after a passerby called 911 on behalf of a woman who approached them and asked for help, stating that she had been raped, Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard said at a press briefing.
“The woman had been walking along the trail after leaving a business in downtown Herndon when she was approached by the suspect,” DeBoard said. “The suspect brazenly grabbed the victim and forced her to the ground, where he proceeded to rape her. The victim was able to fight off the suspect and run away.”
According to the police chief, officers identified Navarette Romero as the suspect based on interviews of the victims and witnesses. Located “minutes later” at a parking lot in the 700 block of Station Street, he was brought to the Herndon police station and questioned by detectives, who found items belonging to the victim in his possession.
In addition to filing charges against Navarette Romero, the HPD executed a protection order, DeBoard said.
Herndon PD arrested Denis Humberto NAVARETTE ROMERO for abduction with intent to defile and rape, for incident last night on the W&OD Trail bn Ferndale Ave and Grace St. News briefing in HPD’s Community Room at 3:00 PM (397 Herndon Pkwy). It will be streamed live on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/3xoDvVkbPR
— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) November 19, 2024
Herndon police believe there may be additional witnesses to this incident and other victims of encounters with Navarette Romero.
“He has a documented history of sexual assault and exposures in the region, beginning in 2022, including charges in the town of Herndon prior to last night’s incident,” DeBoard said. “What is disturbing is the number of times this offender has been arrested and released. He has continued to re-offend, and his behavior has escalated to a rape in a very public area in our town last night.”
Currently in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond, Navarette Romero was arraigned at 10 a.m. today and faces a preliminary hearing on March 5, 2025.
According to Fairfax County General District Court records, he pleaded guilty on Nov. 13 to indecent exposure for an Oct. 19 incident that HPD spokesperson Lisa Herndon confirmed also occurred in Herndon. He was sentenced to 50 days in jail for the misdemeanor offense, but it’s unclear why those were not being served.
The court clerk’s office that handles Town of Herndon cases had no additional information on why Navarette Romero wasn’t in custody. FFXnow has reached out the Herndon’s town attorney for comment.
HPD will increase the presence of uniformed officers on trails around Herndon in the coming days and weeks “to allay any fears,” DeBoard said, noting that the department implemented enhanced patrols “randomly off and on” throughout the summer.
“You should feel safe in town knowing this individual has been removed from our streets in a rapid manner and remains in custody, and we will do everything in our power to ensure he does remain in custody,” DeBoard said. “You should not fear using our trails or streets, but we always encourage you to remain vigilant at all times when walking alone, especially at night.”
Trail image via Google Maps
