Police arrested a man in his 30s from Niagara Falls in the case of a sexual assault that took place in Niagara-on-the-Lake this past Friday night.

Niagara Regional Police has arrested 33-year-old Nicholas Morinello and charged him with breaking and entering, sexual assault and sexual interference.

Police say the suspect is in custody and scheduled to attend a bail hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at the St. Catharines courthouse.

Niagara Regional Police say officers were called into a home in the area of Wall Road and Four Mile Creek Road on Dec. 19 at around 11:20 p.m. following a report of a break-and-enter.

Further investigation led to information of the sexual assault of a female under the age of 15, police say.

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s lord mayor, Gary Zalepa, released a statement on Monday in response to news of this case, calling it a “deeply troubling incident” and thanking local police officers for their response in the matter.

“My thoughts are with the victim and their loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time,” he said in the release. “Safety, in our homes, on our streets and in our community, is a shared priority.”

“Thank you to those in our community for coming together in care and compassion. Let us continue to look out for one another.”

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service’s Sexual Assault Unit at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009519.

Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.