Charge: Security guard raped woman he accused of shoplifting

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man working as a loss prevention officer for a Rite Aid store in Portland, Oregon, has been charged with raping a woman he accused of shoplifting.

Daniel Luis Cassinelli, 43, was arraigned Wednesday on four counts of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and two counts of first-degree sex abuse, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said. It wasn’t immediately known if he has a lawyer to comment on his behalf.

The charges stem from 2015 when Cassinelli was working at the Rite Aid and allegedly accused a woman in the store of shoplifting.

Cassinelli allegedly escorted her to a secluded room, used his position of authority and the threat of reporting her to police to make her feel that she was unable to leave. Cassinelli then subjected her to non-consensual sex acts, Schmidt said. He then allegedly escorted her back to the main store upstairs and allowed her leave.

Interviews with Cassinelli have led Portland police investigators and prosecutors to believe that Cassinelli may have committed similar criminal conduct with other victims, Schmidt said.

Cassinelli worked in the Portland area in loss prevention at multiple locations during and after 2015.