Man accused of assault is free amid DNA evidence

The case of a 25-year-old man accused of sexually accosting a woman in Sunrise is being reevaluated thanks to DNA evidence that appears to clear him, his public defenders say.

Anthony Quintal was jailed for seven days before being released Friday after police charged him with sexual battery, robbery, aggravated battery and drug-related offenses. Officials say the case remainspending un- til prosecutors

Sunrise police would not comment on whether the development in the case means the man who forced a 60-year-old woman to perform oral sex on him remains on the loose.

Assistant Public Defender Gordon Weekes said Quintal was excluded as a “contributor” to the DNA sample taken from the woman, who was sexually assaulted Sept. 5 in the 3600 block ofNorthwest 90thTerrace nearCypress Preserve Park. make final determination.

“If he’s excluded from the sample, there’s no way he could have been the contributor,” Weekes said. “DNA is 100 percent accurate when it comes to excluding a suspect. It can be questionable as to whether you are included into a contributor’s sample. If it’s not you, it’s not you.”

Weekes also said the confession Quintal gavewas coerced at a time when hewas grieving the recent death of his sister. Additionally, the composite sketch released by police did not look like Quintal, he said.

Sunrise police say Quintal remains a person of interest despite the findings.

“We’re doing everything we can with the victim’s statement, the sketch, information we have,” Officer Michelle Eddy said. “If we gather more information that leads us in a different direction to a different suspect, we’ll pursue that.”

For now, Eddy says the DNA evidence “does not exonerate