Men perform citizens’ arrest, punch man in courthouse after he allegedly grabbed, threatened 71-year old woman

Spokane police arrested a man who allegedly assaulted a 71-year-old woman in the Spokane County Courthouse on Wednesday.

Jesus A. Fregoso, 30, who was in court facing charges for assault, is now facing another assault charge with sexual motivation because he grabbed and threatened to rape the woman, according to a news release from the Spokane Police Department.

Fregoso allegedly asked the woman to have sex and then grabbed hold of the woman, who yelled at him to stop.

Two bystanders confronted Fregoso after hearing the victim yelling. They had to “pry Fregoso’s grasp from the victim’s arms while they told him to let go,” according to the news release.

The bystanders held Fregoso down and punched him in the face to gain control and keep him detained until police arrived.

Fregoso told the men holding him down that “if he was let up, he was going to rape the victim,” according to the news release.