VINCENT HEYWARD has been indicted on multiple charges of predatory sexual assault, rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse, burglary and robbery

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today the indictment of a 21-year-old man in connection with a series of sexual assaults and robberies in Hamilton Heights and Chinatown earlier this summer.

VINCENT HEYWARD has been indicted on multiple charges of predatory sexual assault, rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse, burglary and robbery. The crimes charged in the indictment occurred between August 1, 2009 and September 7, 2009.

The investigation leading to today’s indictment revealed that on August 1, 2009, HEYWARD grabbed a 59-year-old woman from behind and pulled her into an alleyway where he robbed and sexually assaulted her at knife-point. On August 10, 2009, HEYWARD followed a 23-year-old woman into her apartment building and elevator, where he grabbed her from behind, held a knife to her throat, and sexually assaulted and robbed her. On August 18, 2009, HEYWARD illegally entered an apartment building and followed a 69-year-old woman into the elevator, where he grabbed her, threw her to the ground, squeezed her so tightly that she had trouble breathing, and then he sexually assaulted and robbed her.

The investigation further revealed that on August 23, 2009, HEYWARD illegally entered a building where he grabbed a 34-year-old woman and dragged her down the stairs, while beating her and slamming her head into the ground. HEYWARD robbed the woman, tried to rape her, and sexually abused her. On September 7, 2009, HEYWARD broke into the apartment of a 28-year-old woman while she was sleeping. HEYWARD awakened the woman and sexually assaulted and robbed her at knife-point. HEYWARD was linked to each of these cases by DNA evidence.

HEYWARD has been indicted on fourteen counts of Predatory Sexual Assault, a class A-II felony; four counts of Rape in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; four counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; three counts of Robbery in the First Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a class B violent felony; three counts of Robbery in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; two counts of Burglary in the First Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a class B violent felony; two counts of Burglary in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; six counts of Burglary in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a class C violent felony; six counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony; one count of Attempted Rape in the First Degree, a class C violent felony; two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a class C violent felony; two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony; and nine counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D violent felony. HEYWARD faces prison terms of up to 25 years to life on the class A-II felony charge, up to 25 years on the class B violent felony charges, up to 15 years on the class C felony charges, and up to 7 years on the class D felony charges.

HEYWARD was arrested on September 21, 2009. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in State Supreme Court, Part 1.

Mr. Morgenthau thanked the New York City Police Department’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad, including Lieutenant Adam Lamboy, Detective Michael Rama, Detective Kieran Breen and Detective Richard Ruiz; as well as the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Forensic Biology Department.

Assistant District Attorneys Janine Gilbert and Siobhan Carty are handling the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Lisa Friel and Jennifer Gaffney, Chief and Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit, respectively.

Defendant Information

VINCENT HEYWARD, 7/23/1988
281 Edgecombe Avenue
New York, New York

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