28-year-old Michael Cates is facing charges of rape and other related offenses in connection with an incident that allegedly took place in February 2024 at a Courtyard Marriott in Lower Allen Township.
A Lancaster County man accused of sexually assaulting an employee at a hotel in Cumberland County last year has been apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. The arrest took place on Tuesday, and the suspect is currently in police custody.
28-year-old Michael Thomas Cates from Millersville is facing multiple charges, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, terroristic threats, and other related offenses. The charges stem from an alleged incident that took place at a Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Lower Allen Township on the 4900 block of Gettysburg Road in February 2024, as reported by the police.
According to the victim’s account to Lower Allen Township Police, she was working at a bar in the hotel on the night of February 11, 2024, when a male suspect, later identified as Cates, approached her. He requested twice that she bring food and drinks to his room.
The investigators found out that the man had used a fake name to rent the room, and his credit card was later declined.
After carefully reviewing the surveillance camera footage within and around the hotel, the police successfully obtained an image of the suspect. With this information, they were able to identify Cates as the perpetrator and subsequently charged him.
The victim positively identified Cates as her attacker from a photo array, according to the police.
Cates was charged by the police in August 2024.
The U.S. Marshals have captured Cates, but the police have not provided any further information about the arrest.
