Two Men Charged in Patterson Park Sexual Assault, Pellet Guns Seized

She waved at passing cars, but none stopped. A woman walking through Patterson Park at around 2:30 a.m. on March 14 was approached by a man who displayed a weapon, demanded her purse, and when she refused, forced her behind a stone pillar. Surveillance video captured the moments leading up to the assault.

Baltimore police charged 19-year-old Brayan Alvarado Gomez and 22-year-old Angel Rafael Argueta Rivera in connection with the reported sexual assault, announcing charges on March 24. Gomez is accused of sexually assaulting the woman and punching her in the head. Charging documents identify Rivera as a second suspect who also approached the victim during the attack.

The woman's screams ultimately drove the men off. Charging documents say she "screamed in a loud manner, and it appeared the suspects were frightened and ran inside Patterson Park." Officers located both men near the park's swimming pool, each allegedly carrying a pellet gun that resembled a real firearm. As of March 24, Gomez was placed on home monitoring; Rivera is being held without bond.

The assault adds to longstanding safety concerns about Patterson Park, one of Southeast Baltimore's most active green spaces. Police and park advocates have pointed to better lighting, visible patrols, safe-walk programs, and youth outreach as strategies to reduce late-night incidents. Traveling with a companion after dark, staying near well-lit main paths, and calling 911 immediately if approached remain the most direct safety measures available to park-goers.

Anyone with information about the March 14 incident can contact Metro Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-866-7LOCKUP. Sexual assault survivors in Baltimore can call the House of Ruth Maryland's 24-hour hotline at (410) 889-7884 for counseling and emergency support. MCASA's statewide legal services line, available at no cost to survivors, is reachable at 1-877-496-SALI.