Man arrested in Midvale on sex-abuse warrant

A man who had a warrant out for his arrest for investigation of forcible sex abuse was picked up by Midvale police Thursday after investigators said he sexually assaulted a woman in her room in front of her children.

Miguel Villanueva, 38, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of forcible sodomy and three counts of child endangerment. He also has warrants for forcible sex abuse, forcible sodomy and lewdness involving a child. He was being held Friday on no bail.

The incident began Wednesday night when the victim's male roommate brought home a man he did not know very well, said Midvale police Sgt. John Salazar.

After dinner and a few beers the woman went to bed and the "new friend" went to sleep on the couch, he said.

At some point during the night, the man went into the woman's bedroom and sexually assaulted her, Salazar said. The man initially told police he was simply in the bedroom to tickle the woman's leg and play a joke on her.

Detectives, however, said the woman repeatedly told the man to "stop" and "get out" and eventually had to break free, grab her three young children and escape through a window, Salazar said.

The woman ran to her car, drove off and called police. Officers arrived at the apartment and took the man into custody.