WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Nearly seven years after the remains of federal intern Chandra Levy were found in a Washington park , a jailed laborer from El Salvador faces a murder charge in her death , authorities said Tuesday . Ingmar Guandique is serving a 10-year sentence for two assaults in the park where Levy 's body was found . A judge on Tuesday signed an arrest warrant for Ingmar Guandique , 27 , who is serving a 10-year sentence for two assaults in Rock Creek Park that occurred around the time of Levy 's disappearance . Her remains were found in Rock Creek Park about a year after she was reported missing . `` We believe Levy was a random victim of Guandique , who attacked and killed her as she jogged in Rock Creek Park , '' said Jeffrey Taylor , U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia . Guandique 's public defenders said the case was far from over , and urged the public not to jump to conclusions . `` This flawed investigation , characterized by the many mistakes and missteps of the Metropolitan Police Department and every federal agency that has attempted to solve this case , will not end with the simple issuance of an arrest warrant against Mr. Guandique , '' the federal public defender 's office said in a statement ... We look forward to trying this case before unbiased jurors who will not rush to judgment . '' Guandique faces a first-degree murder charge . A conviction on the charge would bring a mandatory sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison , Taylor said . The massive publicity surrounding the Levy case was largely a result of her romantic affair to then-Rep. Gary Condit , a California Democrat . Police questioned Condit many times in connection with the slaying , but the congressman was never considered a suspect . Watch the police announce arrest » . A California native working as an intern for the Federal Bureau of Prisons , Levy , 24 , disappeared May 1 , 2001 . Her remains were found in May 2002 by a man walking his dog in a remote area of the park . Guandique has been imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution-Victorville , a medium-security facility northeast of Los Angeles , California . Officials hope to transfer him from California to the nation 's capital in 45 to 60 days . He 's serving his sentence on the two assault convictions in California because there are no prisons in the District of Columbia . Those convicted of federal crimes in the capital are sent to various federal prisons across the country . Guandique was considered a person of interest in 2002 in connection with Levy 's death , authorities said Tuesday . Before the new charges , his projected release date from prison was October 5 , 2011 . According to officials at Tuesday 's news conference -- and the affidavit supporting the arrest warrant for Guandique -- circumstantial evidence played a large role in the case . Authorities presented no evidence Tuesday of anyone seeing Guandique and Levy together . Timeline of Levy 's disappearance » . But the affidavit said a witness reported seeing and running from a man in the park , and she said she believed that occurred on the same day as Levy disappeared . Upon seeing a photograph of Guandique in the interim , the woman thought he looked like the man who followed her in the park , the affidavit said . Another witness reported seeing Guandique with `` a fat lip and scratches on his face '' about the time of Levy 's disappearance , the affidavit said . The witness added that Guandique said he was injured by his girlfriend during an argument . Interviewed by police , Guandique 's girlfriend at the time said that while he was violent with her on occasion , `` at no time during any of the arguments or fights did [ she ] ever strike Guandique or cause any injuries to his face or neck . '' Two other witnesses reported that Guandique told them he committed crimes against women , including rape and murder , according to the affidavit . And another witness last month told police Guandique admitted his involvement in Levy 's killing , as well as that he tried to rape two other women in the park at knifepoint , the affidavit said . When news emerged last month that Guandique 's arrest was imminent in the Levy case , the same witness told police Guandique `` became very anxious and said something to the effect of , ' [ Expletive ] , it 's over . They got me now . What am I gon na do ? ' `` Authorities searching Guandique 's cell in California in September found a photograph of Levy that apparently had been taken from a magazine , the affidavit said . Speaking last month as news emerged that an arrest in the case was imminent , Levy 's mother , Susan , said , `` It 's a bittersweet situation for me as the mother of a daughter who is no longer here . I want justice . I want to know that the person who did it is in jail and will not do it to anybody else . '' She added , `` Every day the elephant is there . Every day you get a knot in your stomach . It does n't go away . It 's a life sentence for the families and relatives that miss their loved ones . We have a life sentence of hurt . '' CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report .
NEW : Affidavit says suspect told fellow inmate last month `` They got me now '' NEW : Witness told police she saw man resembling suspect in park , Affidavit says . Carol Cratty is serving a 10-year prison sentence for Two assaults . Levy disappeared in last month ; her body was found last month .