A dentist in New York, who isn’t currently practicing due to an injury, was arrested on July 10 for allegedly sexually abusing at least three women he met online, according to a story published on July 14 in the Rockland/Westchester Journal News.
Dr. Pablo De La Cruz, 33, was charged with first- and third-degree rape, second-degree assault, and first-degree sexual abuse. He claims the women, who are not U.S. citizens, may be accusing him of sexual abuse because they want to obtain U visas, which are intended for victims of crime and would allow the women to stay in the U.S., according to the story.
Furthermore, De La Cruz claims that one of the women who made the allegations stabbed him in the hand, leaving him unable to work as a dentist. Though he did not pursue criminal charges against the woman, De La Cruz alleged that he filed a protection order against her, according to the story.
During a court hearing on July 14, the judge set his bail at $175,000 cash, $300,000 bond, or a $750,000 bond requiring 10% in cash. He was expected to post bail. Additionally, De La Cruz was ordered to surrender his U.S. and Dominican Republic passports.
On June 8, De La Cruz allegedly raped a woman at a residence in Yonkers, NY, after she said she didn’t want to have sex with him. During the incident, which reportedly occurred over several hours, he allegedly pinned her down, slapped, and bit her, according to the story.
Another one of his alleged victims claimed that he sexually abused her while they were in Dubai. De La Cruz’s attorney alleged that the dentist was cleared in this case after text messages revealed the woman said she would drop the allegations in exchange for $250,000, according to the story.
Authorities are continuing to investigate De La Cruz.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
