Arizona congressional candidate says she was sexually assaulted in Sun City

Bernadette Greene-Placentia reported to police that two men sexually assaulted her in Sun City during the summer. The alleged attack occurred during her congressional campaign and has prompted an active sheriff’s office investigation.

Greene-Placentia, 52, is a Democrat challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh. She is running in the 8th Congressional District in metro Phoenix.

She told investigators the men knocked her unconscious and raped her on Aug. 14. She had been repairing campaign signs overnight to avoid the heat, she said.

According to police reports, Greene-Placentia suffered bruises on her arms and a bump on her head. She kicked her feet up to fight back during the encounter, reports state.

“I knew that I had been knocked out,” Greene-Placentia said on Wednesday.

The exact location of the attack remains unestablished, Greene-Placentia said. She also could not provide detailed descriptions of the attackers.

She said one attacker wore black boots and had small feet. She told investigators one man used an expletive and referenced her political party.

Greene-Placentia told her husband and campaign staff several days later. She said she did not go to the hospital immediately.

Police reports show she took multiple showers and washed her clothing before contacting authorities. She formally reported the assault to law enforcement in late August.

Greg Freeman, treasurer for the Arizona Democratic Party, received a phone call from her on Aug. 17. Freeman said she told him about the assault but was not ready to file a report.

“She was just in shock,” Freeman said. “She was just horrified by what happened.”

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on its ongoing investigation. Greene-Placentia said she does not know if the assault was politically motivated or a random crime.

Hamadeh issued a statement calling on authorities to thoroughly investigate the claims. He urged detectives to locate all camera footage from the area to prosecute the attackers.

Greene-Placentia is a former long-haul trucker who later operated a transportation firm, according to her campaign. She previously supported Pete Buttigieg in 2020 before increasing her involvement with the Arizona Democratic Party.

Sun City is an unincorporated community in Maricopa County. The local sheriff’s office provides primary law enforcement services and conducts felony investigations throughout the jurisdiction.

Greene-Placentia granted permission to be publicly identified regarding the assault allegations. She said she decided to speak publicly to encourage other survivors of violence to come forward.