DETROIT – A 23-year-old Detroit man is facing several charges after police said he tortured and sexually assaulted his 22-year-old girlfriend.
Officers were sent to the home that Jonathan Milamont Welch shared with the 22-year-old in the 13000 block of Kilbourne Avenue on reports of a domestic violence sexual assault.
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Prosecutors said Welch sexually assaulted the 22-year-old at 3 a.m. on June 2 and then demanded the password to her cell phone. When she refused to give him the password, he physically assaulted her then tied an extension cord around her neck and strangled her.
Welch is accused of pouring gasoline on the 22-year-old’s body, then burning her arms and legs with a metal spatula and attempting to sexually assault her with a large pole.
Prosecutors said Welch beat her with his belt and threatened her with a drill. When Welch went into the kitchen, she ran out of the front door and to a neighbor’s home. He followed her onto the porch and tried to pull her, but did leave the porch.
When he was gone, the neighbors took her into their home and gave her a blanket to cover herself before calling 911. Welch returned and kicked in the neighbor’s door then fled in a car before officers arrive.
Detroit police investigated and Welch was located at 11:34 a.m. the same day.
Welch has been charged with torture, home invasion first degree harmful device - use/possession causing injury, criminal sexual conduct third degree, assault with intent to commit sexual penetration, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, and three counts of felonious assault.
Welch was arraigned on June 12 and received a $100,000/10% bond with a tether and was ordered to have no contact with the survivor.
He will be in court for a probable cause conference on June 21. A preliminary exam is scheduled for June 28.
Survivors of domestic violence can find more information on the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office website by clicking here and here.