A 43-year-old man named Jermaine Longmire was accused by the Manhattan District Attorney on July 3rd of attempting to sexually assault a woman in Central Park, Manhattan, last month. He was charged with two serious crimes including attempted first-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse. Media reports revealed that Longmire has a history of sexual offenses in New York, New Jersey, and Florida.
On the afternoon of June 24th around 1:30 pm, a 21-year-old female victim was sunbathing in the northern part of Central Park near the intersection of the West Side Highway and West 104th Street at the Great Hill. Longmire exposed himself while approaching the victim. She initially screamed and tried to run away but Longmire grabbed her from behind. After pushing him away, the victim managed to fend off the assailant, who then fled along the West Side Highway.
Following the incident of sexual harassment in the park, which occurred shortly after an unrelated case of sexual violence against minors in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, senior officials of the New York City Police Department swiftly held a press conference urging the public to help locate the suspect in Central Park.
According to multiple media reports, Longmire is a repeat offender of sexual crimes. Just earlier last month, he was accused of indecent exposure on a subway platform in Upper West Side Manhattan involving a 27-year-old woman. Authorities stated that Longmire has been arrested multiple times in New York City, Florida, and New Jersey, with charges including sexual offenses.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. declared in a statement, “Longmire stands accused of attempting to rape a woman sunbathing in Central Park last month. Parks should be places where New Yorkers can relax without worrying about their safety, and his actions are intolerable.”
Bragg mentioned that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has a Special Victims Division to not only hold offenders accountable but also provide support for survivors’ recovery. The public can contact the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office at 212-335-9373.