Man charged with kidnapping, raping woman at Boston hotel 

Crime

Herbert Jones is accused of allegedly holding a woman against her will, sexually assaulting her, and forcing her to call an ex-boyfriend to ask for money.

A 49-year-old man is facing kidnapping and rape charges for allegedly holding a woman against her will at a Boston hotel and sexually assaulting her.

Police arrested Herbert Jones, of Boston, around 8 a.m. Monday at the Doubletree Hotel on Washington Street. Jones was charged in Boston Municipal Court Central Division on Tuesday with kidnapping, two counts of aggravated rape, two counts of assault and battery, and threats, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s Office said in a press release. 

Police arrived at the hotel after receiving a 911 call from a man who said his ex-girlfriend was being held in one of the rooms and was in danger, according to officials.

Officers arrived at the fourth-floor room, where they found the woman “visibly upset, crying, sweating and breathing heavily.” According to the DA’s office, the woman told police that Jones, who was also in the room, held her against her will, forced her to have sex with him, and struck her in the face numerous times. She also said Jones made her call her ex-boyfriend to ask for money. 

The woman was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. Law enforcement didn’t share details about the extent of her injuries. 

Jones has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1991. At Tuesday’s arraignment, Judge James Stanton revoked Jones’s bail on an existing case for 60 days, ordered $50,000 bail on the new case, and ordered him to stay away from the victim and the hotel. Jones is due back in court on Feb. 17 for a probable cause hearing. 

Hayden’s office said crime victims, including those who have experienced domestic or sexual violence, should call 911 in an emergency. Victims can also report crimes via SafeLink, a statewide domestic violence hotline, by calling 877-785-2020. Multilingual translation in more than 140 languages is available. 

The DA’s office also noted that help is available for members of the LBGTQ+ community experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence through The Network/La Red, which can be reached by calling 617-742-4911 or 800-832-1901.