Georgia man linked to 2013 rape attempt in Dania Beach extradited to Broward

DANIA BEACH, Fla. — A Georgia man who was arrested years after an attempted rape was reported in Dania Beach has been extradited to South Florida to face a criminal charge in the case.

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Online jail records show Jose Bello, 39, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, was booked into the Broward County Main Jail Monday on a sexual battery charge.

He is expected to appear in bond court sometime Tuesday.

Authorities said the sexual battery attempt happened on Jan. 21, 2013, during an event called Igloo South Florida near the 2600 block of Southwest 31st Street in Dania Beach.

In a news release, BSO spokesperson Claudinne Caro said the victim became “incapacitated” during the event.

“The victim said she woke up in an unknown vehicle, with two unknown male subjects,” Caro said. “The victim said her pants had been pulled down. One of the subjects left DNA evidence behind on the victim. BSO investigated this case for years but without significant leads, the case turned cold.”

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But authorities said this November, DNA advances led to a break in the case. They said the sample taken from the woman matched Bello.

Authorities said the woman was able to remember Bello’s face and pick him out of a photo lineup 13 years later.

Caro said BSO worked with the sheriff’s office in Hall County, in the Atlanta exurbs, to obtain a DNA warrant and BSO investigators eventually travelled there to serve it and interview Bello.

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Authorities said results from the DNA warrant confirmed the initial test.

Deputies said Bello was arrested by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office on May 5.