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By Forum Staff
A Far Rockaway man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the March 2009 rape of a woman with whom he’d previously been in a long-term relationship and in the September 2009 home invasion and sexual assault of the woman’s new boyfriend.
Raymond Gillespie, 45, entered the victim’s home in September, and with the help of accomplices tied up the woman and her boyfriend as they slept. He then carried out a brutal and vicious sexual attack on both victims.
District Attorney Brown explained the nature of the defendant’s actions saying he, “violently sexually assaulted both his former companion and the man whom she started a new relationship with… he will be locked away for the remainder of his life.”
The defendant’s first conviction was overturned based on a judicial error during jury deliberations. But in a subsequent trial last month, the defendant was convicted of multiple crimes including first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, aggravated attempted sex abuse and first-degree criminal sex act.
Gillespie will serve 25 years in prison to be followed by 25 years post release supervision for the March 2009 rape and 25 years in prison to be followed by another 25 years of post release supervision for the September 2009 criminal sexual act – all to be served consecutively– if he is ever released, he must register as a sex offender.
Co-defendant Lamont Gough, who was previously convicted at a separate trial, is currently serving up to 20 years in prison.
In March 2009, the defendant displayed a gun and raped the female victim in her home. About six months later in September of 2009, the defendant – this time accompanied by Gough and other accomplices–who are not yet in custody – again entered the woman’s Rosedale home in the early morning hours. The woman and her boyfriend were sleeping when their assailants tied them up and forced them to lie face down. Although Gillespie used a false Jamaican accent his victims recognized his voice. He sexually assaulted his ex-girlfriend, burned her boyfriend with lit cigarettes and used a metal rod to sexually violate him.
DNA evidence along with cell phone site records linked Gillespie to the crime.
