A Golden Gate Estates man who was convicted of forcing his way into an ex-girlfriend’s apartment and choking her in 2007 was sentenced to prison Thursday.At a hearing in Collier County Circuit Court, Judge Frank Baker sentenced Jorge Rodriguez, 28, 3281 14th Ave. N.E., to 20 years in prison on charges of burglary with battery and felony battery resulting in great bodily harm.
Rodriguez pleaded no contest to the felony charges at a separate hearing on Sept. 8. Judge Baker accepted the plea and adjudicated Rodriguez guilty.
According to Collier County Sheriff’s Office reports:
On Nov. 13, 2007, Rodriguez drove to the Golden Gate apartment of a woman he used to date. He stalked the woman as she walked her dog and discarded trash before she left for work.
As she opened her apartment door, Rodriguez rushed inside. He tore her clothing off and took nude photographs of her with his cell phone.
Rodriguez put his hands around her neck and choked her for a period of time. After he stopped choking her he threatened to show the photographs to her family if she contacted authorities.
She contacted the Sheriff’s Office and was transported to Naples Community Hospital with serious and permanent injuries caused by the attack.
Deputies located Rodriguez later that evening. He denied ever being in the woman’s apartment, however, his DNA profile was matched to blood located in her apartment.
