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Daily Hampshire Gazette – Holyoke man accused of rape and assault remains in jail

The Hampshire County Courthouse in Northampton.

The Hampshire County Courthouse in Northampton.
GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

NORTHAMPTON – A Holyoke man remains in jail on $25,000 bail after pleading not guilty in Hampshire Superior Court last week to eight counts that include aggravated rape, kidnapping and indecent assault.

Ezequiel Torres, 36, was indicted by a Superior Court grand jury on May 7 after initially being tried in Northampton District Court.

He is accused of drugging and raping a woman in his car at two locations in Northampton on February 9. He then allegedly dropped her off at ServiceNet’s Grove Street Inn, where she was staying at the time and where she reported the alleged assaults.

Torres is charged with two counts of aggravated rape, kidnapping, three counts of sexual assault and battery on a person over 14 years of age, witness intimidation and repeated possession of a Class B drug (Suboxone).

With the exception of drug offenses, all of them are criminal offenses.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington told Judge John Agostini that Torres is also being held in another case in Hampden Superior Court and is not entitled to bail.

Defense attorney Jack Godleski filed a motion, which Agostini granted, requiring the Grove Street Inn to preserve all surveillance footage from the night of February 9 through September 3.

Godleski wrote in his motion that the camera recordings potentially contained information that could help his client’s defense, including the alleged victim’s conversation with the first witness, her appearance and any signs of intoxication, her interactions with police, how she answered a call from Torres and how she received medical attention.

Torres’ next court date has been set for June 25.

James Pentland can be reached at [email protected].