18-years in prison for DC man who raped woman, forced her into Anacostia River naked

A 22-year-old D.C. man has been sentenced to 18-years in prison after he pleaded guilty to raping a stranger at gunpoint before forcing her to strip naked and jump into the water of the Anacostia River.

Troy Ashley entered a guilty plea in March of this year to one count of first-degree sexual abuse while armed.

The attack happened March 20, 2018 when Ashley, then 17-years-old, approached the victim who was sitting in her car in the 3200 block of Buena Vista Terrace in southeast D.C.

At gunpoint, he demanded the woman let him into the vehicle then ordered her to drive to a nearby alley where he forcibly raped her.

He then made the victim drive to the Anacostia River, strip naked, and jump into the water.

He drove off in the victim’s vehicle with all her clothes.

Authorities said the victim was able to hold onto her cellphone after jumping into the water and called 911. Officers with the U.S. Park Police were able to locate her as she used the flashlight from her phone to wave them down. Police found her naked, partially submerged in the water, and holding onto a ledge. Weather conditions that night were freezing rain with a swift current in the river.

Police tracked Ashley down and he was arrested six days later.

He has been in custody since his arrest on March 26, 2018. His guilty plea called for an agreed-upon 18-year prison sentence. The judge in the case also ordered lifetime supervised release.