Suspect accused of assaulting sex worker

East Hartford man allegedly wanted ‘revenge’ on ex-wife

A Hartford man who is charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a sex work arrangement in East Hartford told police he wanted to get “revenge” on his ex-wife, according to a warrant for his arrest.

Moo Ta, 24, is facing charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree assault and brandishing a facsimile firearm, according to the East Hartford Police Department.

In an interview with police Ta told investigators that his ex-wife had recently left him for a new boyfriend, so he “picked up a prostitute” in Hartford and agreed to have sex with her for $40, according to the warrant.

Police identified Ta as an alleged suspect in two incidents after using surveillance footage of his orange Dodge Avenger to track him down. He matched the description provided by three women who were threatened with a fake gun by Ta in January and February, police said in a warrant.

On Jan. 15 police responded to a Holiday Inn at 100 East River Dr. in East Hartford for a report of a woman who was bleeding from her forehead after being assaulted, East Hartford police said in the warrant.

The woman told investigators that she was in the area of Wethersfield Avenue and Baker Street in Hartford when she was approached by a small man wearing all black who was driving a red sedan, police said.

She reportedly told the man she “was trying to make some money” and got into his car to discuss prices for “services,” police said in a warrant. He asked her if she was a cop and she said no, the warrant said.

Ta allegedly drove the woman to East River Drive in Hartford and pulled over on the side of the road after telling her he could not bring her to his home. The woman told police that Ta then “sexually assaulted her at gunpoint and then beat her using a baton all about her body,” according to the warrant.

Ta reportedly told police that they engaged in sexual acts and that the woman refused to leave his car when he refused to pay her. He then told police he got a stick out of his trunk and hit her with it, the warrant said.

About a month after the woman’s attack, on Feb. 13, East Hartford police again responded to East River Drive and Hartland Street for a report of two women screaming and crying, according to the warrant.

The women told investigators that a man in an orange vehicle that resembled a Dodge Charger began to follow them in Hartford. They said they got into the vehicle and were driven to East River Drive by a man who matched the description of the suspect in the first attack, according to the warrant.

The man approached the women on the passenger side, ordered them out of the vehicle at gunpoint and said, “I’m a cop, I’m a cop,” according to the warrant. The women said there was some sort of light attached to the gun, the warrant said.

Police used license plate reading systems to locate an Orange Dodge Avenger that had traveled near the area of the incident at the time of the event, police said. The car was parked in front of 128 Shultas Place in Hartford, where officers were approached by Ta, who said he was the driver of the car, according to the warrant.

When asked whether he had recently had two women in his car, he told police they had tried to rob him, according to the warrant.

Ta agreed to an interview with police, during which he said his ex-wife had recently left him and was with her new boyfriend, the warrant said.

“Ta stated that he wanted to get ‘revenge” and picked up a prostitute on Park Street, where they agreed to have sex for $40,” the warrant said.

Ta originally stated that “his ‘conscience’ would not allow him to have sex,” according to the warrant, but later said he engaged in sexual acts with the woman but then asked her to leave.

When she refused to leave without payment, Ta told police, he got a stick from his trunk and hit her with it. He also eventually told police that he displayed a paintball gun during the incident, police said in the warrant.

Ta was arrested Feb. 17 and was charged in connection to the Jan.15 attack.

He is being held in custody in lieu of a $500,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in Manchester on March 8, records show.