A resident of a home on the 800 block of Cherokee Avenue in Saint Paul pressed a handgun into the victim’s back and forced her out of the house, pushing her down a concrete staircase, according to the complaint.
Rafael Nicolas Maya faces a charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, filed October 21 in Ramsey County District Court.
According to the complaint, officers responded to the 800 block of Cherokee Avenue at about 4:00 p.m. on October 17 after the victim reported being assaulted. The victim told officers she had permission to enter the home to retrieve identification and banking information. She noticed the locks had been changed, knocked on the door and received no response. The victim then entered the house through a ground-level window and let her son inside through the back door.
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The complaint states Maya entered the kitchen, yelled at the victim to leave, took a black handgun from a sleeve near the oven and grabbed her by the shoulder. Maya pressed the gun into the victim’s back and walked her toward the front door, continuing to tell her to leave. The victim heard Maya rack the slide of the gun.
Maya then pushed the victim into the door frame and down the concrete steps leading out of the house. The victim said she was afraid Maya was going to shoot her and suffered scrapes to her knee and lower back.
A witness told officers that after the victim entered the home, Maya forcibly pushed her out the front porch door, causing her to fall down three steps. The witness said he approached the house to confront Maya, but Maya slammed the door shut and went back inside.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the home and found a black Mossberg pump action 12 gauge shotgun, a break action Springfield shotgun, a 5mm air rifle, a grey long gun sleeve and a grey handgun sleeve. The handgun sleeve was found in the kitchen. Maya was not present when officers executed the search warrant.
According to the complaint, Maya went to the police department and turned himself in on October 19.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Maplewood Man Charged After Gunfire Follows Cedar Street Fight • Saint Paul Man Charged After Multiple Assaults at Home • Man Charged After Firing at Car Outside Saint Paul Home
Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; Ramsey County Community Corrections operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
