Carlisle man raped and blackmailed mentally disabled woman: police

According to a criminal complaint, a Carlisle man stole money from a disabled woman with the mental capacity of a prepubescent child, promised her an engagement ring that never came, had sex with her and solicited money from people she knew over the course of three months.

Waren Mena, 31, of Carlisle was charged with rape of a mentally disabled person, sexual assault of a mentally disabled person, financial exploitation of a dependent person, possession of a controlled substance and use of drug paraphernalia in connection with the months-long scam earlier this year.

In March, the property manager of a long-term care facility in Carlisle told police that residents had witnessed an unknown man pushing past residents on multiple occasions as they entered through the controlled entrance door. Residents saw the man enter the apartment of a resident who was being treated by a psychiatrist for intellectual disability, autism and post-traumatic stress disorder. The psychiatrist told police that her general functioning level was that of a child and that she was unable to consent to sexual activity.

Police identified the man the property manager reported as Mena, and the victim told police she knew Mena as “Daniel” and believed he was her boyfriend.

Later, during an interview at the Harrisburg Child Advocacy Center, the victim said she met Mena through Facebook Messenger. She said Mena found her, contacted her and shortly after asked her to come to her home.

Two days after the property manager contacted police, police received reports that loan requests had been sent to at least three people through the victim’s Facebook account around March 2. Based on the language in the messages, people familiar with the victim did not believe she was the person who had asked for the money.

On April 1, police observed Mena, the victim, and another resident driving to Members First Credit Union in Carlisle and then returning to the assisted living facility to drop the woman off.

Police contacted the bank’s fraud department and saw that the victim had withdrawn $60. She told police she gave the money to Mena so he could buy an engagement ring.

About a week later, police questioned the victim at her apartment and found Mena inside. They asked him to wait outside the door while they spoke with the victim, who told police she had not yet received an engagement ring and was concerned because Mena would not stop smoking in her apartment. Police found that Mena had a cocaine-based substance and a vial with crack cocaine residue on her.

The woman, whose age was redacted from the police document, said she had been sexually active with Mena and that he had constantly asked her for money.

Between June 5 and June 8, Mena asked the victim to give him $40 and said if she sent the money, he would come over. When she didn’t send a picture of the money, Mena sent her a picture of him having sex with an unknown woman.

The victim also asked Mena several times if he had received the engagement ring yet and sent him photos of rings she liked.

Middlesex Township police arrested Mena on Thursday with assistance from Carlisle police. He is currently being held in the Cumberland County Jail after failing to post $35,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 3.