🚨 HIGHTSTOWN MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION INTO TWO REPORTED ASSAULTS
Hightstown police arrested 18-year-old Christian Arevalo for multiple sexual assaults after receiving anonymous tips from the public. He faces several charges, including aggravated sexual assault, following incidents reported in August and September.
HIGHTSTOWN, NJ — An 18-year-old Hightstown man has been arrested and charged following an investigation into two separate reported assaults in the borough, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and Hightstown Police Department.
Authorities said the investigation began after a 34-year-old woman reported that she was walking near Park Way and Rogers Avenue at approximately 8 p.m. on September 11, 2026, when she was approached from behind by an unknown male and allegedly physically and sexually assaulted.
Investigators with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Hightstown Police Department subsequently identified Christian Arevalo as a suspect.
Arevalo faces multiple charges related to the September incident, including two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree aggravated assault and one count of third-degree criminal restraint.
Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking to detain Arevalo pending trial.
🔎 Investigators also connected Arevalo to an earlier reported incident.
According to authorities, on August 12 at approximately 9:40 p.m., an adult Hightstown woman reported that she was on North Main Street when an unknown male allegedly approached her and touched her inappropriately. Police said the suspect fled after the woman yelled.
In connection with that incident, Arevalo is charged with third-degree criminal restraint, third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, harassment by unlawful touching and criminal trespassing.
Authorities publicly released two surveillance videos on September 22 in an effort to identify the person investigators believed was responsible. Detectives subsequently received several anonymous tips that helped lead to Arevalo's identification.
Arevalo was arrested and charged on September 23, 2026, at the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey credited members of the public who provided information to investigators, saying community cooperation played an important role in identifying the suspect.
Officials also recognized the investigative work of the Hightstown and East Windsor police departments and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who may have information about the case or who believes they may have experienced a similar encounter is asked to contact SVU Sgt. Sherika Salmon at (609) 960-3119 or Detective Natalie Martinez at (609) 331-4318. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office tip system.
⚖️ IMPORTANT: Arevalo has been charged but is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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