Elvis McKenzie has been charged with allegedly attempting to rape a woman in an elevator inside an Astoria apartment building, according to the Queens district attorney. Photo courtesy the NYPD
A 27-year-old Flushing man has been arrested and charged with allegedly attacking and trying to rape a woman in the elevator of her Astoria apartment building last week, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Elvis McKenzie, 27, allegedly followed the 53-year-old female victim into an elevator in her apartment building around 11:30 a.m. on June 2 and proceeded to put his hand in his pants and rub his genitals, according to the DA. Then, McKenzie began choking the victim and punching her numerous times in the face, causing swelling and bruising, Brown said. The defendant allegedly exposed himself and attempted to pull down the woman’s pants but fled after the victim began screaming for help when the elevator door opened, according to the DA.
“The defendant is accused of following his victim like a predator and waiting until she was isolated and trapped inside an elevator before attempting to sexually assault her,” the DA said in a prepared statement. “The fact that the alleged attack took place in her own residence must have only added to the victim’s frightening ordeal.”
The Flushing man has been arraigned on charges of rape, assault, and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, the DA said.
McKenzie was ordered held on $200,000 and will return to court June 23.
