Photo Courtesy of NYPD
Velez allegedly was captured on video fleeing the scene of the Central Park attack.
By Michael V. Cusenza
A homeless man accused of raping a woman Thursday morning near Swan Lake in Central Park absconded to his mother’s Howard Beach home after the attack—only to be cuffed by cops on Saturday near the residence at 101st Street and 160th Avenue.
Paulie Velez, 25, was ordered held without bail on Saturday after a Manhattan assistant district attorney revealed that Velez was already on the run from case he caught in Florida.
Photo Courtesy of Google
The victim was raped near Swan Lake.
On Thursday, Velez allegedly violently assaulted a 27-year-old jogger in the iconic Manhattan green space.
“The defendant raped a stranger in Central Park, and was captured on video fleeing from the scene and was in possession of the victim’s phone,” the prosecutor said, according to a New York Post report.
Photo Courtesy of Google
Velez sought shelter at his mother’s Old Howard Beach home. He was arrested on Saturday near the residence.
Detectives caught him running from his mom’s Old Howard Beach home. When cops showed up to arrest him, Velez jumped into a “body of water,” the prosecutor noted, per the Post story.
Prosecutors also pointed out that Velez has convictions in Pennsylvania and Las Vegas, and has a New York bench warrant from February 2020.
According to court records, Velez is due to appear this Friday on the rape case.
