SARATOGA SPRINGS — An individual arrested Thursday morning is charged with a rape related to an ongoing investigation. Two others are charged with possessing forged government IDs.

The three arrests follow a joint investigation by members of the city police department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

Raul Martinez-Aguilar, 21, of 101 Walworth St., was arrested around 7 a.m. Thursday and charged with second-degree patronizing a prostitute, a class-E felony, and second-degree rape, a class-D felony.

Martinez-Aguilar is accused of having sex with an underage female in exchange for money. He was arraigned and is being held in Saratoga County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.

Lt. Gregory Veitch, spokesman for the city police, reported in a press release that Martinez-Aguilar’s arrest was the culmination of an investigation involving the minor.

The same investigation led to the arrest in May of three area residents who were charged with various rape and profiting from prostitution charges.

Kyle A. Wedderspoon, 23, of 391 Middleline Road, Ballston Spa, Michael McCleary, 20, of 506 Sandhill Road, Ballston Spa, and Brett R. McClellan, 20, homeless, are each charged with various felonies related to two incidents in May. Both incidents involved a 14-year old girl.

Also arrested Thursday morning were Gelacio C. Reyes, 22, of 96 Walworth Street, and Angel B. Merino, 20, of 101 Walworth Street. Both were charged with second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a class-D felony. Police reported each was found in possession of a forged government identification card.

Both were remanded to Saratoga County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash or $5,000 bond.

Veitch reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers also detained seven other individuals suspected of being in the United State illegally. Those individuals were transported by ICE agents to Albany, and are being held on $5,000 bond, pending immigration hearings. The investigation centered on two homes on Walworth Street.

Veitch said that all ten arrestees were believed to be Mexican nationals. He added that some residents in the two houses investigated were found to be legally present in the U.S., and were not arrested.

The investigation, which saw city police cooperating with the federal immigration agency, is somewhat unusual, Veitch said.

“It’s not very often that these come up. Occasionally ICE will notify us of an investigation, but we work with other federal agencies more frequently,” he said.


Reach Andrew J. Bernstein at abernstein@saratogian.com or 518-583-8729 ext. 219.