By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Tuesday that Jerson Vasquez has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly arranging to meet a woman for paid sex and then beating her and taking back the money he paid along with her cell phone.
Vasquez, 23, of Jamaica, was arraigned on attempted murder in the second degree, rape in the first degree, robbery in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, strangulation in the second degree, attempted assault in the second degree, sexual abuse in the first degree and patronizing a person for prostitution in the third degree.
According to the charges:
Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
“We will seek justice for the victim of this vicious assault allegedly at the hands of a very dangerous, violent sexual predator,” DA Katz said.
On Aug. 13, Vasquez responded to an ad on Facebook Marketplace for prostitution-related services. He asked the woman who placed the ad to meet him at an address on 93rd Avenue in Jamaica and directed her to the roof of the location.
Vasquez gave the woman $150, which she put in her purse.
The woman undressed and began to have intercourse with Vasquez, who grabbed her from behind, put his arms around her neck, choked her and slammed her head into a concrete wall. He demanded his money back.
Vasquez punched the woman in the face and took back the $150 he had given her. He then sat on top of the woman and repeatedly slammed her head onto the rooftop and put his hands around her neck and applied pressure to her throat. He penetrated her for a second time.
In addition to the $150, Vasquez took the woman’s cellphone and fled. Video surveillance footage shows Vasquez leave the location at approximately 5:51 p.m. with what looked like blood on his neck and hand.
The woman was taken to a local hospital and admitted for treatment for a laceration to the back of her head which required staples to close, bleeding, substantial pain, and bruising and swelling to large portions of her head, face and neck.
“The defendant was indicted for attempted murder to accurately reflect the brutality of the attack,” Katz said. “We will seek justice for the victim of this vicious assault allegedly at the hands of a very dangerous, violent sexual predator.”
If convicted of the attempted murder and rape charges, Vasquez faces 25 years in prison for each.
