Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Marlon Herber Mercado Esquilin, 47, has been arrested and charged with a rape that allegedly took place in 2022; he is now facing two separate charges of rape.

The victim told an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that she used to be a neighbor of Esquilin and went over to have dinner and drinks with Esquilin and his wife on March 19, 2022. She said she drank heavily at the time and “could easily do two-plus bottles of wine and be fine,” but after one glass of wine and a shot that made her feel “instantaneously intoxicated,” she awoke on the couch to find that some of her clothes had been removed and she couldn’t remember anything since her second glass of wine.

The victim collected her clothes and shoes and decided to seek medical treatment and complete a sexual assault kit, which indicated the presence of male DNA. DNA was collected from Esquilin in May 2024 and was submitted to FDLE for comparison with her sexual assault kit; the results indicated that DNA found on her underwear and body was “700 billion times more likely to occur” if Esquilin contributed to that DNA.

In a post-Miranda interview when the DNA was collected, Esquilin reportedly denied any type of sexual contact with the victim and had no explanation for the presence of his DNA on the victim’s body or clothing.

Due to the victim’s reported intoxication, Esquilin has been formally charged with sexual battery of a victim who is physically helpless to resist.

Esquilin is on pre-trial release on an April 2023 charge of raping a neighbor who went to his house for a housewarming party. That victim also reportedly said that she didn’t remember anything after accepting a mixed drink from Esquilin. Esquilin posted $100,000 bail in April 2023 and was released pending trial.

Judge Meshon Rawls ordered Esquilin held without bail on the new charge, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.