The predator who allegedly raped a teen on a Bronx park bench earlier this week was nabbed by eagle-eyed cops Friday.
Xavier Chapman, 30, had his non-public elements uncovered as he stormed as much as the 19-year-old sufferer – a stranger – as she sat on a bench at Park Avenue and East 183rd Road in Belmont round 3 a.m. Wednesday, cops and sources stated.
He then pinned the sufferer down and compelled himself on her, solely fleeing when she screamed and pushed him away, sources stated.
The subsequent day, the NYPD launched footage of the suspect strolling on the sidewalk, sporting all black along with his hood pulled up.
The video in the end proved helpful when members of the NYPD’s Warrants part had been in a position to monitor Chapman down by an “in depth video canvas,” sources stated.
He was charged with rape, sexual abuse and harassment, police stated.
Chapman has one prior arrest: for a lewd act that concerned him exposing and pleasuring himself on the entrance door of a Bronx man’s condo April 20, in response to a felony grievance.
He was charged with public lewdness and harassment and issued a desk-appearance ticket in that case, prosecutors stated.
He pleaded not responsible to the fees in Might, and in July, the case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, the DA’s workplace stated.
Chapman’s newest crime got here a day after Nicholas Dejesus, 42, allegedly punched and raped a 33-year-old girl – additionally a stranger – on Broadway close to West 230th Road in Kingsbridge in The Bronx, authorities stated.
Dejesus, who was on parole for theft, was arrested about 12 hours after the assault and charged with rape, sexual abuse, assault and harassment, police stated.
Rapes are up 27.5% in The Bronx to date this yr, with 380 such assaults reported in comparison with 298 throughout the identical interval in 2024, in response to the most recent NYPD knowledge.
Citywide statistics present the same surge, with 1,484 rapes reported throughout the 5 boroughs to date this yr – a few 21 % improve from the 1,182 reported throughout that time-frame in 2024.
The NYPD has stated the rise will be attributed partly to “legislative modifications” that broaden the definition of rape and embrace “extra types of sexual assault.”
