ST. THOMAS — A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman earlier this year has been arrested and charged after months of investigation, according to court documents.

Authorities say the suspect, Harold Bruney, was taken into custody on Monday, October 20, in connection with an assault that occurred in May 2025. The woman who reported the incident told police that she was attacked while walking home in the early morning hours of May 11 near Constant Hill, close to a laundromat.

The woman told investigators that as she made her way up the hill, a white pickup truck descended toward her. A man exited the vehicle, greeted her, and began following her as she continued walking. The woman said she was on a video call with her girlfriend at the time, so she acknowledged his greeting but kept walking. When the call disconnected, the man — later identified as Bruney — continued to follow her, asking questions about where she lived, where she was from, and whether she had a boyfriend.

According to the police report, the woman told Bruney that the questions were inappropriate and made it clear that she did not have a boyfriend. Bruney allegedly responded by saying that he “loved gay people.” The woman said that despite her efforts to end the conversation, the man persisted. She reported smelling alcohol and marijuana on his person and asked if he had been drinking or smoking. Bruney allegedly admitted to smoking and called his friend in the truck to obtain more, during which the woman said she overheard the two men arguing over the phone.

The woman managed to reconnect with her girlfriend via a second video call and explained that she had not yet made it home because a man she knew only as “Tall Boy” was following her. The woman said that during this time, Bruney continued to trail her and then crept up from behind.

She told police that Bruney placed his hands on her body without consent, touching her inappropriately and making her feel frightened and violated. The woman said she repeatedly tried to push his hands away, but he continued to assault her with his fingers. She said the assault stopped only when she approached a passing vehicle and engaged the driver, hoping to deter her attacker and get him to leave the area.

Investigators also interviewed the woman’s sister, who confirmed that during the time of the alleged assault, she received a call from her sister’s girlfriend, alerting her that a man was following and harassing the victim. The sister said that when her sibling arrived home, she pointed toward the area where she had last seen the suspect. The sister told officers that the man was still nearby, standing and staring at the woman before eventually leaving. She said her sister had been deeply affected by the incident, becoming withdrawn, silent, and hesitant to leave the house since that night.

The victim’s girlfriend also spoke with police, corroborating much of the account. She said that while she could not see the man on the video calls — only her girlfriend’s upper torso — she heard a male voice repeatedly trying to engage her partner and sensed that the exchange was not friendly.

According to the report, the woman later provided police with a photograph of the man she said assaulted her. Investigators confirmed the suspect’s identity as Harold Bruney.

Following months of investigation, Bruney was detained on October 20 and declined to give a statement to police. He was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual contact, first-degree assault, and disturbance of the peace. Bruney was remanded into custody pending his advice-of-rights hearing.

His initial court appearance was held on October 21 before Magistrate Paula Norkaitis. While court records confirm that the hearing took place, there was no immediate indication of its outcome as of press time.

Bruney’s arraignment is scheduled for November 11.