Defendant Receives 15 Years in Prison
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the sentencing of MICHAEL FLORES, 41, to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision, for attempting to rape a young woman in East Harlem after posing as a police officer. On July 14, 2010, FLORES pled guilty to one count of Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class C violent felony.
“Sexual assault leaves lifelong scars on its victims,” said District Attorney Vance. “This prosecution cannot erase those scars for this victim, but this significant sentence will protect other women in our community from suffering similar fates at the hands of this defendant, and give this victim a measure of the justice she deserves.”
According to documents filed in court and the defendant’s statement of guilt, on January 15, 2010, FLORES approached a 19-year-old woman inside a subway station at 149th Street and Grand Concourse in the Bronx, identified himself as a police officer, and offered to help her find her way home. Although the defendant was not wearing a uniform, the victim observed FLORES chatting with uniformed officers, who he said were his colleagues, so she found his explanation plausible. As part of his elaborate ruse, FLORES lured the victim to the rooftop of the Wagner Houses at 2405 First Avenue in East Harlem, where he threatened to kill her if she did not comply with his sexual demands. FLORES unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned the victim’s coat, but she was able to free herself. She ran to the roof’s edge and screamed loudly, attracting the attention of people on the street. This caused the defendant to flee.
The NYPD released a surveillance tape from the Wagner Houses to the media. Notably, during the early stages of this investigation, the crime tips reported by the general public were extremely helpful in identifying this defendant.
The investigation was a joint endeavor between the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad.
District Attorney Vance thanked Assistant District Attorney Abigail Kweskin, of Trial Bureau 30 and the Sex Crimes Unit, who handled the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Lisa Friel, Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit. Assistant District Attorney Albert Berry III represented the People at Flores' sentencing.
District Attorney Vance also thanked the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad, specifically Detective Michael Rama, for their work on the case.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL FLORES, D.O.B. 9/4/69
Staten Island, NY
CONVICTED:
Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, one count, C violent felony
SENTENCE:
15 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years post-release supervision
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the sentencing of MICHAEL FLORES, 41, to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision, for attempting to rape a young woman in East Harlem after posing as a police officer. On July 14, 2010, FLORES pled guilty to one count of Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class C violent felony.
“Sexual assault leaves lifelong scars on its victims,” said District Attorney Vance. “This prosecution cannot erase those scars for this victim, but this significant sentence will protect other women in our community from suffering similar fates at the hands of this defendant, and give this victim a measure of the justice she deserves.”
According to documents filed in court and the defendant’s statement of guilt, on January 15, 2010, FLORES approached a 19-year-old woman inside a subway station at 149th Street and Grand Concourse in the Bronx, identified himself as a police officer, and offered to help her find her way home. Although the defendant was not wearing a uniform, the victim observed FLORES chatting with uniformed officers, who he said were his colleagues, so she found his explanation plausible. As part of his elaborate ruse, FLORES lured the victim to the rooftop of the Wagner Houses at 2405 First Avenue in East Harlem, where he threatened to kill her if she did not comply with his sexual demands. FLORES unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned the victim’s coat, but she was able to free herself. She ran to the roof’s edge and screamed loudly, attracting the attention of people on the street. This caused the defendant to flee.
The NYPD released a surveillance tape from the Wagner Houses to the media. Notably, during the early stages of this investigation, the crime tips reported by the general public were extremely helpful in identifying this defendant.
The investigation was a joint endeavor between the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad.
District Attorney Vance thanked Assistant District Attorney Abigail Kweskin, of Trial Bureau 30 and the Sex Crimes Unit, who handled the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Lisa Friel, Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit. Assistant District Attorney Albert Berry III represented the People at Flores' sentencing.
District Attorney Vance also thanked the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad, specifically Detective Michael Rama, for their work on the case.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL FLORES, D.O.B. 9/4/69
Staten Island, NY
CONVICTED:
Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, one count, C violent felony
SENTENCE:
15 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years post-release supervision
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