Detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police have charged 40-year-old Asadullah Pardes with multiple counts of rape.
Officials said on October 5, 2023, patrol officers originally received a harassment report involving several victims. The victims in the case were identified as refugees who were part of a non-profit resettlement organization police said.
The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Asadullah Pardes of Claymont. The investigation revealed that Asadullah worked for a non-profit resettlement service and was assigned multiple clients. It was reported that he was asking female clients on dates, making inappropriate comments, sending messages at inappropriate times, and showing up to homes unannounced police said. If the victims refused to go on dates, he would refuse to hand over documents and permits that the victims needed police allege. Officials went on to say that Asadullah further sexually assaulted multiple victims on multiple occasions.
Through the investigation, three separate victims were identified. Asadullah was taken into custody without incident on November 4, 2023. He was charged with three felony counts of rape in the first degree, seven felony counts of rape in the second degree, ten felony counts of sexual extortion, three misdemeanor counts of coercion, and two misdemeanor counts of unlawful sexual contact in the third degree. He was arraigned by the New Castle County Court of Common Please and held in lieu of $275,000 cash bail.