State indicts J'lem man for alleged rape of tourist

Suspect also charged with impersonating another, disrupting police with intent to obstruct them from performing their duties.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Handcuffs arrest police crime illustrative 390 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Handcuffs arrest police crime illustrative 390
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
The capital’s district attorney on Tuesday filed an indictment with the Jerusalem District Court against Jerusalemite Baruch Segar for allegedly raping an American tourist.
The court has issued a gag order on the 25-year-old American tourist’s identity, referred to only as “B.B.” in the indictment.
Segar, 50, is also charged with impersonating another and disrupting police with intent to obstruct them from performing their duties.
On the evening of December 23, B.B. was touring downtown Jerusalem, where she swallowed a number of prescription pills and drank half a bottle of vodka.
Around midnight, Segar met B.B. for the first time at Café Hillel on Heleni Hamalka Street, said the indictment.
The indictment said that at the time, due to the pills and the vodka, B.B. was intoxicated, not entirely self-aware and was incapable of walking on her own.
Segar supported B.B. so she would not fall, and the indictment noted that he gave her a cup of water and sat her down at the café.
Next, Segar led B.B. back to his apartment, a thirty-minute walk, the indictment alleged.
According to the indictment, he brought B.B. to his bedroom where he raped her, despite the fact that she was still intoxicated and not cognizant enough to consent to any sexual acts.
Midway through being raped, the indictment noted that she became aware of what was happening and tried to stop Segar, but he continued and just told her “only one more moment.”
According to the indictment, B.B. later showered and eventually left Segar’s apartment and asked for help from people in the area.
Based on their advice, she called Segar using a piece of paper he had given her with his contact information, and he came out to see her, said the indictment.
At the same time, B.B. called the police to arrest Segar when he came out, the indictment said.
The indictment alleged that when the police arrived, Segar gave the false name and identity of Yaakov Messina to the police to try to obstruct them from investigating him and properly charging him.
B.B. also complained that she suffered internal physical injuries from the alleged rape and that she required subsequent medical attention.
The state has requested to remand Segar to custody until the end of the proceedings.