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Woman held at knifepoint escapes harm thanks to her quick thinking

<i>Buncombe County District Attorney's Office/WYFF via CNN Newsource</i><br/>The suspect was arrested and identified as 28-year-old Bryan Lamont Burwell.
Buncombe County District Attorney's Office/WYFF via CNN Newsource
The suspect was arrested and identified as 28-year-old Bryan Lamont Burwell.

By Zach Rainey

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WYFF) — The Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office announced a man pleaded guilty to several charges tied to a break-in and attempted sexual assault.

On July 13, 2024, the Asheville Police Department responded to a reported breaking and entering at an apartment unit within the Deaverview Apartments in West Asheville.

Officers determined a man broke into the apartment of the victim after attempting to break into other homes within the neighborhood.

After the suspect broke into the apartment, he found a woman sleeping on her couch and proceeded to hold her at knifepoint. The suspect then demanded that she take off her clothes. Before escalating, the victim claimed that she had contracted HIV and that his life would be in danger if he had sex with her.

Authorities said the victim’s misrepresentation caused Burwell to flee the scene without further harm to her.

The suspect was arrested and identified as 28-year-old Bryan Lamont Burwell.

On Monday, Burwell pleaded guilty to one count of felony attempted second-degree forcible rape, one count of felony attempted felony breaking and entering, and one count of misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon.

As a result of Burwell’s guilty pleas, Superior Court Judge Alan Thornburg sentenced Burwell to serve a term of imprisonment of 60 to 132 months in prison. Judge Thornburg also ordered Burwell to register as a sex offender for a period of 30 years and to have no contact with the victim for the remainder of her natural life.

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