Central Park attempted rape suspect who attacked sunbathing woman is charged, police say

The suspect in the attempted rape of a woman sunbathing in New York City's Central Park last month has been charged, authorities said Wednesday. 

Jermaine Longmire, 43, who has eight arrests in New York and a "substantial arrest history" in several other states, was identified as the suspect after his DNA matched evidence left at the location of the alleged crime, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said.

Longmire who is charged with first-degree attempted rape and first-degree sexual abuse, both felonies, appeared in court Wednesday. 

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"Our parks should be a place where New Yorkers can relax without fearing for their safety, and this alleged conduct will not be tolerated," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.

Longmire was already in police custody and charged with a separate 2023 crime involving alleged forcible touching in a subway station.

The most recent attack occurred around 1:30 p.m., when police responded to an area of Central Park near 104th Street for a report of an attempted rape of a female victim. A 21-year-old woman was sunbathing alone in a secluded part of the park when a Black man, believed to be in his 30s, approached her and began exposing himself.

Officials said she got up and tried to run away when he tackled her from behind. She was able to fend off her attacker, police said. 

Investigators pulled surveillance video and were able to get an image of the attacker, which matched with Longmire in a facial recognition system, police said. DNA collected from the woman's bikini also matched Longmire, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said. 

Longmire was also wanted for a forcible touching incident in March in which he allegedly grabbed a woman's buttocks from behind.