A 21-year-old man was arrested Friday evening in connection with an Escondido home invasion where two women were tied up at knife-point by a suspect posing as a salesman, according to San Diego County Sheriff's deputies.
Deputies identified Joshua Nitkin as the suspect who tied up two women, ages 19 and 22, inside a home in the 2300 block of Felicita Road and Montecito Drive sometime after 4 p.m. Thursday.
Nitkin reportedly came to the home pretending to sell cleaning products.
“He looked like a decent enough guy,” said Sgt. Mark Haynesworth just after the incident. “He had a flyer...advertising the products he was selling.”
After demonstrating some products in the home’s entryway, deputies said Nitkin asked if he could do so in other areas of the home.
The women let the suspect inside the residence and at some point the trio ended up in one of the home's bedrooms; at which point Nitkin produced a knife, according to Lt. James Bolwerk.
Nitkin then tied up both of the women, as he threatened to kill them, and also groped the victims before fleeing the home, Bolwerk said.
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A preliminary investigation led officials to Nitkin who was detained and arrested on Friday around 5 p.m. once he was positively identified as the suspect, according to a report.
Nitkin was booked into the Vista Detention Facility and faces charges for kidnap to commit rape, assault with a deadly weapon, and false imprisonment. He was held without bail and is set to be arraigned in court on Thursday, Dec. 29.
