Restaurant owner drugs job-seeker’s drink, sexually assaults her in motel, NJ cops say

A restaurant owner was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting a job-seeker, New Jersey officials said.

Gerald Araya, 44, an owner of three restaurants in the Trenton area was arrested June 19, according to a June 20 news release posted on Facebook by police.

In May, a woman told police she had gone to Araya’s Dubai Restaurant & Lounge for a job interview, officials said.

Araya also owns El Catador Lounge Restaurant and Mill Hill Restaurant & Lounge, officials said.

Araya told the woman he wanted her to see his other Trenton restaurants, so they left, officials said.

Once at the bar, Araya started making the woman drinks and said he wanted her to know what she’d be serving customers, officers said.

After beginning to feel sick, the victim told Araya she wanted to go home, police said.

The victim’s next memory was waking up naked in a motel room while being sexually assaulted by Araya, officials said.

Prosecutors said the victim was “physically helpless.”

Investigators later learned the motel was in Lawrence Township, about a 5-mile drive northeast of Trenton, officials said.

After further investigating, detectives identified three other victims who used to work for Araya, police said.

Araya was charged with five counts of aggravated sexual assault, three counts of sexual assault, kidnapping, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.

Mercer County prosecutors filed a motion to have Araya detained pending trial, officials said.

The investigation remains ongoing, and officials ask anyone with information to call 609-989-6568.

This story was originally published June 20, 2024 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Restaurant owner drugs job-seeker’s drink, sexually assaults her in motel, NJ cops say."