Aloe Vera, a local drag performer, sustained a broken jaw during an assault in South Philadelphia this week.
Vera, whose legal name is Anthony Veltre, underwent reparative jaw surgery at Jefferson University Hospital on May 1.
On April 30, police arrested Carmelo Villanueva, 34, and charged with aggravated assault and lesser offenses in connection with the assault.
Villanueva was released from custody later that day after posting bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. May 15 in Room 503 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1315 Filbert St.
According to a police narrative of the incident, officers responded to the 2000 block of Tasker Street around 10:30 p.m. April 29, where Vera said Villanueva punched her repeatedly in the face and threatened her with a knife.
Ben Waxman, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, said Villanueva will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
“Obviously, this is a serious crime and we’re going to pursue justice in this case as aggressively as possible,” Waxman told PGN.
A fundraiser for Vera was scheduled for May 7 at ICandy Nightclub in Center City, where she has performed. A GoFundMe page also has been established to help raise funds for Vera, who’s expected to be out of work for a significant period of time.