His struggle with cocaine use has led to new acquaintances misjudging the dangers of going home. He ultimately became involved with drugs and faced a sexual assault designed to push him deeper into danger, all after a call for help from traffickers. The incident occurred about a year ago in Zaragoza, and this Wednesday the two attackers admitted the facts and received a sentence of two years in prison along with 5,000 euros in damages.
Carlos W. Bravo and Edgar Bolaños were initially sentenced to fourteen and eight years in prison, respectively, on charges of rape and sexual assault, despite an agreement between the Prosecutor’s Office and the defense attorneys. The victim’s attorney and the defense attorney, together, negotiated a reduced penalty. The condition of payment of up to 3,000 euros in compensation and a five-year ban on committing crimes was part of the agreement; otherwise imprisonment or deportation from Spain could result. The two teenagers, of Colombian and Ecuadorian origin, inhabit an unstable situation within the country.
The events trace back to August 10, 2021, when the victim and the two teenagers met at a bar on Paseo Calanda in Zaragoza’s Delicias district. Around 9:00 p.m., the idea arose to go to one defendant’s home because the young man who was assaulted wanted to buy cocaine. The trio agreed to not only sell drugs but also to continue drinking and using substances. The victim consented to the arrangements that followed.
That night, nothing further happened. The young man did not have enough money to cover the medicine, so Bravo and Bolaños concealed his identity to enable a return visit to collect the remaining funds. The following day, a markedly different outcome emerged.
On Calle Cerezo, in the area popularly known as Hook, around 2:00 a.m., the victim, heavily intoxicated, found himself seated on a sofa with the two defendants. Cocaine was consumed in their company as they sat together. The defendants were in their underwear, and at some point they began touching the victim, including his genitals, who urged them to stop, saying he did not wish to be with men.
Following these acts, the defendants offered the victim another drug and introduced him to poppers, a form of amyl nitrite used to intensify sexual experiences. One of them held the container to the victim’s nose while the other rested his head on the sofa, causing significant irritation to the nose and brain. The victim experienced severe discomfort and had to vomit in the restroom. The combination of poppers, cocaine, and alcohol left him in a vulnerable state, and the assault continued as the men moved the events toward a private room.
As the victim lay in bed, the two defendants undressed him and kissed his body in a coercive manner, while physically assaulting him. The victim mustered as much strength as possible and managed to strike Bravo in the chest, which allowed him to break free from their hold. He clearly stated his intention to leave but explained he needed to settle the drug purchase first and asked to keep his phone, which had a dead battery. He then managed to call his aunt and contact emergency services.
Police units from the Aragon region arrived in the area and confronted Bravo and Bolaños to gain entry. When threatened with breaking down the entrance gate, the suspects finally surrendered. The victim left the residence distressed, and the police proceeded to take the attackers into custody. After the sequence of events, the victim received medical attention and the local authorities began formal documentation of the case. The incident underscores the serious dangers that accompany substance use, coercion, and sexual violence in vulnerable situations. Attribution: local law enforcement records