Stamford Police Special Victims Unit arrested Mercedes Irizarry, 25, on Tuesday and charged her with Falsely Reporting an Incident and Interfering with Police. The arrest stems from an incident that Irizarry reported to Police on Nov. 7, in which she claimed to have been kidnapped by knife point on Adams Ave by her ex-boyfriend and an accomplice.
Irizarry claimed her kidnappers drove her against her will to an apartment on Ursula Pl where she was sexually assaulted and held against her will overnight. According to Stamford Police, the next morning she claimed she escaped through a bathroom window where she ran to a friend’s home and called Stamford Police.
Stamford SVU officers thoroughly investigated Irizarry’s claim and took a signed sworn statement regarding the events she put forth. A warrant was fast-tracked due to the severity of a domestic kidnapping and sexual assault incident.
When SVU Officers went to locate the ex-boyfriend they learned that he was deported two years ago to Colombia. Officers confirmed this with Homeland Security and through other investigative techniques. Furthermore, the Officers discovered video in the area contradicting Irizarry’s claim of being traumatized and held against her will.
With this evidence, Stamford Police say they had enough evidence that Irizarry’s claims were false, and they conferred with the States Attorney’s Office to apply for a warrant.
According to Stamford Police, the arrest was necessary to maintain the validity of true victims coming forward. The SVU Office handles many true victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“Irizarry’s actions play right against what victims fear and that the Police will not take their complaint seriously,” Stamford Police wrote on their Facebook page. The department urges all victims to come forward and emphasize that this one incident will not change their belief in investigating all claims of Domestic abuse to the fullest.
Irizarry was charged with Falsely reporting an Incident 2nd degree and Interfering with Police. She was held on a $25,000 bond.