Rape suspect says he's innocent, says woman was a 'prostitute', turns self in
LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (WJBK) - A 19 year old is wanted by Lincoln Park Police for the kidnapping and rape of a woman - but he says he had nothing to do with it.
Fernando Anderson, 19, was announced as the second suspect in the attack of a woman who was taken from the parking lot of a Walgreens in Lincoln Park. Police say the 23-year-old victim was kidnapped, raped, and robbed last Wednesday and Anderson, along with his 22-year-old cousin, also named Fernando, committed the crime. But Anderson said they didn't do what the woman says they did.
Just after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Anderson turned himself in to police.
"I did not take part in any type of rape, armed, robbery - anything," Anderson said. "Everything she put on the news is all a lie and how she says we came to Walgreens and robbed her. I never raped nobody."
Anderson talked to FOX 2 from an undisclosed location. He said he met the victim on MocoSpace - an online gaming community. He even provided text messages that he says was between him and the victim that dated back to March 21, 2016.
The victim told FOX 2 on Tuesday they were supposed to meet that day but she changed her mind and that's when the men kidnapped her at gunpoint and took turns driving around and raping her. She said the nightmare only came to an end because the 19-year-old had a tether and had to get home by ten.
But Anderson - who does not have a tether or a criminal record - tells a different story.
"We walked up to her car and she unlocked the doors and said come on in. We got in the car - she discussed the prices - she asked us where was a good location to go to," Anderson said.
He claims the alleged victim is a prostitute and she drove them to a secluded spot where they had sex, smoked weed, and got cigarettes at a Sunoco. Then when it came time to pay, he said they didn't hand the cash over.
"My cousin, he was the one that was supposed to pay her but he didn't give her no money. He didn't give her anything. She wanted a hundred dollars for it," Anderson said.
His cousin has already turned himself in to police. He said he planned to do the same, once he gets an attorney - a promise he made good on, shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday.
"I did not rape her at all," Anderson said. "She didn't get her money so that's why she's trying to pin this on rape. Why would I have to rape [her]? She was chillin' with us."
Anderson said he did not have a gun and does not believe his cousin did either.
Anderson's father, Fernando Anderson III, said this should be a lesson to all parties.
"Hopefully it's a message to her - young lady, whoever you are: stop selling your body. Stop meeting guys online. And it's a message to my kids, my son and my nephew, stop messing with prostitutes. This should be a lesson," he said.