Gerald Araya arrested: Trenton, New Jersey restaurant owner charged with sexually abusing four women

TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) – The man, who owns several restaurants in Trenton, New Jersey, has been charged with sexually assaulting four women, including a woman applying for a job and three former employees.

Gerald Araya, a 44-year-old man from Ewing Township, is charged with five counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and other offenses.

He owns three restaurants in Trenton: El Catador Lounge Restaurant on New York Avenue, Dubai Restaurant & Lounge on New York Avenue and Mill Hill Restaurant & Lounge on South Broad Street.

The Mercer County District Attorney’s Office said the investigation began last month when a woman contacted Trenton police to report a sexual assault.

The victim told investigators that she met Araya for a job interview at the Dubai restaurant. & Salon.

The victim said Araya wanted to show her his other establishments, so they left the bar and went to another bar where Araya started mixing drinks for her, prosecutors say.

The victim said Araya told her to taste the drinks so she would know what she was going to serve customers. She then told investigators she started to feel sick and told Araya she wanted to go home.

The woman said her next memory was of being naked in a motel room when Araya sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said.

The victim was “physically helpless” during the attack, prosecutors said.

According to authorities, three more victims were identified during the investigation, all of whom had previously worked for Araya.

Search warrants were issued for Araya’s home and his three restaurants. Araya was arrested without incident outside the Mill Hill restaurant.

The public prosecutor has requested that Araya be remanded in custody pending trial.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the District Attorney’s SVU at (609) 989-6568 or [email protected].