BOSTON, Sept. 21, 2015— A Westwood man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the Fenway area was held without bail pending the outcome of a dangerousness hearing later this week, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

MICHAEL PURPURA (D.O.B. 06/22/79) was arraigned in Roxbury Municipal Court today on a charge of aggravated rape for a Sept. 15 assault in the area of Queensberry Street.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Corke of the DA’s Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Unit, Judge David Poole ordered that Purpura be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing under Chapter 276, Section 58A, of the Massachusetts General Laws, which allows a judge to hold a defendant accused of certain offenses without bail for up to 90 days pending trial upon “clear and convincing evidence that no conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of any other person or the community.”   That hearing is scheduled to take place at 2:00 p.m. Thursday.

According to prosecutors, a male suspect forced the victim into her Queensberry apartment, where he sexually assaulted her at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 15.  Detectives assigned Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit obtained surveillance images of the suspect and identified the man as Purpura after speaking with employees of an area business he frequented.

Boston Police were assisted by Westwood, Medford, Transit, and Tufts University Police Departments in a search for Purpura, who surrendered himself to Boston Police at the Medford Police Department at approximately 5:10 p.m. Saturday.

Sexual assault can happen to anyone. While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, the survivors of sexual violence in Suffolk County can also call the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center’s 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical advocacy, legal services, counseling, and other services to victims of rape and sexual assault.

Purpura is represented by Jonathan Rutley.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.