Chester County Man Accused Of Abusing, Kidnapping Wife
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Lirim Rufati, 24, is accused of physically and sexually assaulting his wife on a regular basis. (Chester County District Attorney's Office)
Ernest Manerchia is accused of slapping his wife and attempting to strangle her. (Chester County District Attorney's Office)
CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. -
A 24-year-old student at West Chester University was arrested in Chester County after the District Attorney's office says he repeatedly abused his wife and eventually attempted to deport her.
Lirim Rufati is accused of physically and sexually assaulting his wife on a regular basis. Investigators say he repeatedly struck her and raped her.
After a neighbor reported the abuse, investigators say she was taken to a safe location by West Goshen Police officers. However, Rufati allegedly tracked her down and drove her to JFK International Airport in New York, where he attempted to force her onto a plane back to Macedonia, where the two met in an arranged marriage.
A police officer intervened at a check-in area at the airport, and Rufati was taken into custody.
According to the district attorney, Rufati faces aggravated assault, kidnapping and other charges.
"This case demonstrated tremendous communication and cooperation between the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, police in New York and the West Goshen Police Department," West Goshen Police Chief Joseph Gleason said in a statement.
In an unrelated case, the district attorney's office also announced Monday the arrest of a Delaware County police officer accused of slapping his wife in the face and then attempting to strangle her.
The district attorney's office says Ernest Manerchia, who lives in West Chester, is a member of the Chester Police Department's SWAT team.
Manerchia was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police and faces aggravated assault, simple assault and other related charges.
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Lirim Rufati, 24, is accused of physically and sexually assaulting his wife on a regular basis. (Chester County District Attorney's Office)
Ernest Manerchia is accused of slapping his wife and attempting to strangle her. (Chester County District Attorney's Office)
