DNA evidence linked a 22-year-old Spotsylvania man to two sexual assaults near popular Fredericksburg walking trails. His return to Virginia now depends on international extradition proceedings.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — A man accused of sexually assaulting two women along Fredericksburg’s walking trails has been arrested in Guatemala, nearly a year after the first attack and several months after he left the United States.
Cesar Paau-Pan, 22, of Spotsylvania County, was arrested by authorities in Guatemala on October 13, according to an October 14 announcement from the Fredericksburg Police Department.
He faces 11 felony charges in Virginia, including rape, forcible sodomy, abduction with intent to defile, aggravated sexual battery and strangulation.
The arrest follows a months-long investigation involving DNA evidence, witness interviews, surveillance footage and cooperation between local and federal authorities.
Police say the two attacks occurred in areas frequently used by Fredericksburg residents for walking and outdoor recreation.
Two attacks, seven months apart
The first reported assault occurred on October 19, 2025, along the canal path near Dale Street, between Washington Avenue and Emancipation Highway.
According to police, a woman was grabbed from behind and forced to the ground. A passerby interrupted the assault, causing the attacker to flee.
Detective Lovett was assigned to investigate, and DNA evidence was collected.
Seven months later, on May 31, 2026, police responded to another reported sexual assault on Ficklen Island, a stretch of land along the Rappahannock River just upstream from Old Mill Park.
In that case, the victim told investigators she had been grabbed and that her attacker placed a rag over her mouth.
She also provided two details that would later become important to the investigation: the suspect wore distinctive footwear, and she believed she had injured his hand while defending herself.
Detective Mejia took the lead on the second case, and investigators again collected DNA evidence.
The samples were submitted to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science for comparison.
Although forensic testing produced a DNA profile in the first case, investigators initially had no known sample that could identify the person responsible.
A separate incident provides a break
The investigation took a significant turn on June 17, when Fredericksburg police responded to an unrelated indecent exposure complaint along the Rappahannock River in the 300 block of Riverside Drive.
Two juvenile girls had reported seeing a man masturbating in front of them.
Detective Mejia, who was working another case at the time, heard the dispatch and noticed similarities between the suspect’s description and information gathered during the sexual assault investigations.
She asked responding officers to check the man’s footwear and whether he had any injuries to his hands.
Officers located and detained Paau-Pan in a nearby wooded area without incident.
During a subsequent interview at the Fredericksburg Police Department, Mejia observed that his footwear and a hand injury were consistent with details provided by the victim of the May 31 assault.
Police collected a DNA sample from Paau-Pan and submitted it for comparison with evidence from both rape investigations.
At that point, investigators did not have sufficient probable cause to arrest him for either sexual assault.
Paau-Pan was instead charged with indecent exposure and taken to the Rappahannock Regional Jail, where he was held on a $1,000 bond.
Suspect left the United States before DNA results returned
While Paau-Pan was in jail on the indecent exposure charge, federal immigration authorities lodged a detainer against him.
He was transferred to federal custody on June 19.
Following a voluntary departure hearing, Paau-Pan left the United States for Guatemala on July 18, 2026.
By then, Fredericksburg detectives were still waiting for the forensic results needed to establish a connection between Paau-Pan and the two sexual assault cases.
Working with the Fredericksburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, detectives sought expedited testing because of the seriousness of the allegations and concerns about public safety.
On August 3, investigators received confirmation that Paau-Pan’s DNA matched evidence collected in the October 2025 assault.
Approximately one week later, forensic results also implicated him in the May 2026 attack.
But by the time investigators received those findings, Paau-Pan was no longer in the United States.
The sequence of events raises questions about the timing of the forensic investigation and Paau-Pan’s departure from the country. According to the police account, investigators did not have probable cause to charge him with the sexual assaults before his transfer to federal custody.
The department also emphasized that its officers do not routinely inquire about immigration status unless that information is necessary for an investigation.
The department’s immigration enforcement policy is available online.
Grand jury returns 11 charges
On August 24, a Fredericksburg grand jury indicted Paau-Pan on 11 felony charges involving the two victims.
The charges include:
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Four counts of rape by force
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Two counts of forcible sodomy
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Two counts of abduction with intent to defile
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One count of attempted forcible sodomy
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One count of aggravated sexual battery
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One count of strangulation
The indictments were initially kept from public view under a court sealing order intended to protect the international effort to locate and apprehend Paau-Pan.
Fredericksburg police worked with the FBI’s Richmond office, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in Guatemala.
Those efforts led to Paau-Pan’s arrest on October 13.
He remains in custody in Guatemala, where he has the right to contest extradition to the United States.
Police say that process could take several months. The Virginia charges are expected to be formally served when he is returned to the state.
Paau-Pan is accused of the offenses and has not been convicted of the charges described in the announcement.
Police address concerns about trail safety
The assaults drew attention to the safety of Fredericksburg’s canal paths and riverfront areas, which are regularly used by walkers, runners and families.
For residents who use the trails near Old Mill Park and the canal path, the investigation has brought renewed attention to the risks that can arise even in familiar public spaces.
Fredericksburg Police Chief Betsy Mason acknowledged those concerns while thanking residents and investigators for their roles in the case.
“The safety of our community is our highest priority,” said Chief of Police Betsy Mason. “We are grateful for the trust and support of Fredericksburg residents as we worked to resolve these cases and restore a sense of security to our city. I am incredibly proud of the persistence and dedication our detectives and officers have demonstrated, as well as their unwavering commitment to bringing this case to justice.”
The department also credited the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Fredericksburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance.
Although Paau-Pan is now in custody, the criminal case in Virginia cannot move forward to its next stages until the extradition process is resolved.
For the two victims, that means the wait for proceedings in a Virginia courtroom continues.
For Fredericksburg residents, the arrest provides an important development in a case that has raised concerns about safety along some of the city’s most frequently used recreational trails.