Gustavo Garcia is looking at 18 years for allegedly dressing as a cop and assaulting a store clerk in the bathroom
TRENTON - A man accused of pretending to be a cop before tying up a store clerk and sexually assaulting her in a bathroom is looking at nearly two decades in prison if he accepts a deal from prosecutors.
Gustavo Garcia, of Trenton, was offered an 18-year prison sentence by Mercer County prosecutors as part of a plea agreement offer Friday. It's unclear whether he will accept the offer.
The attack, which occurred in August of 2014, made headlines across the state after authorities revealed Garcia allegedly dressed as a cop with a badge and a black radio before attacking the clerk in the store bathroom, according to police.
Garcia entered the store on the 800 block of South Broad Street in the early afternoon and told the female store clerk that he was a police officer, investigators have said.
Alleged cop impersonator appears in court
After flashing a fake badge, Garcia asked the clerk for a glass of water. But when she went to the bathroom to get one, he followed her in, police have said.
He tied the clerk's arms and legs together with her pants before sexually and physically assaulting her, police have said.
Authorities also allege he threatened to kill her.
When he left the bathroom, Garcia immediately switched into his cop impersonation, telling people outside - including a store owner - that he was there investigating a robbery, police have said.
Gustavo Garcia in a photo taken just after the alleged attack by a witness who questioned him at the scene. (Trenton Police Department) One witness questioned Garcia and caught a picture of the alleged rapist, which was sent to police.
The store clerk managed to free herself from the bathroom while Garcia was still in the area. She tried to chase him down but Garcia escaped by using his fake badge to flag down a driver, police have said.
He was arrested the next day by a police officer on patrol.
Garcia was charged with sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery, terrorist threats, impersonating a police officer, burglary, and weapons offenses.
He claims that the clerk was his girlfriend and that they have had previous sexual encounters, Garcia's attorney Jason Matey said.
Garcia was initially offered a 28-year sentence in a plea deal but Mercer County prosecutors reduced that time to 18-years Friday.
His next scheduled appearance is in August, during which Garcia will choose to accept or reject the deal. If he rejects it, his case will go to trial.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.