Man arrested in connection to 2008 sexual assault of a minor in Maricopa County

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday that a suspect in connection to a 2008 sexual assault of a minor was arrested.

Alexander Rzeczycki, 33, is accused of intentionally or knowingly engaging sexually with a minor on or between June 20 and June 21, 2008, according to court documents.

MCSO stated in the release that they had received a report of the assault in 2008, in which a 13-year-old girl had been lured into a bedroom by two drunk men before they sexually assaulted her.

The victim told MCSO that a 17-year-old male acquaintance had intervened on her behalf, stopping the assault. The 17-year-old who stepped in was also assaulted by the two men and sustained damage to his vehicle, according to the release.

Detectives conducted interviews with the victim, the 17-year-old and the host of the party around the time of the original report, as well as requesting the victim to participate in a forensic medical examination.

MCSO said that the exam documented a number of injuries consistent with the disclosed sexual assault, but the case was halted in 2009 due to the victim not wanting to participate further with the investigation and a lack of suspect information.

In 2017, forensic evidence in the case was submitted for analysis as part of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant, providing additional funds to process any untested kits.

Related: Testing thousands of old Arizona rape kits leads to dozens of arrests

In 2018, the results came back showing male DNA found on one of the evidence items. The DNA was then entered into the Combined DNA Index System database, according to MCSO, finding Rzeczycki as a potential match.

With a match, MCSO re-opened the case, tapping a Special Victims Unit Investigator to try and track down both the victim and Rzeczycki.

Through the course of the investigation, it was later learned that the victim had died in May 2015.

MCSO continued with the investigation, and after conferring with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, received a warrant for Rzeczycki's arrest.

On May 3, 2023, Rzeczycki was found and arrested by the MCSO Fugitive Apprehension Tactical Enforcement Unit. He was later booked into jail and is facing one count of sexual conduct with a minor, a class two felony.

MCSO said that the case remained open as they are still trying to identify the second suspect in this case. Those with information are urged to contact MCSO at 602-876-TIPS (8477) with a notation of “IR08-112002.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: MCSO: Man arrested in connection to 2008 sexual assault of a minor