A Silver Spring man is charged with multiple sex offenses for allegedly assaulting a woman in May at a business that identified him as its CEO and lead instructor.
Melesse Semegne, 58, assaulted a woman on May 5 at the Fenote Training Academy in Silver Spring, when he was alone with her, police said on Wednesday.
Semegne is charged with second-degree rape, attempted second-degree rape, two counts of second-degree assault and fourth-degree sex offense.
The Fenote Training Academy provides training for use in health and public safety careers, such as how to perform CPR or use a defibrillator. The woman who was assaulted, police said, was enrolled in a course at the academy.
According to the company’s website, which is currently offline, it caters to “underserved and low-income” communities.
On Wednesday morning, Semegne was listed as the academy’s president, CEO and lead instructor. No one with the business responded to an email or a phone call for comment on Wednesday.
Detectives executed a search warrant on May 14 at the training academy where “items of evidentiary value were recovered,” police said.
Semegne turned himself in on Sunday and is jailed without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. Court records indicate that he is represented by a public defender.
His attorney could not be reached on Wednesday.
Police suspect that there may be other victims and are urging anyone who has had contact with Semegne to call the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-773-5400.
Tipsters who want anonymity can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 1-866-411-8477 or provide information through the Crime Solvers website.
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