What to Know
- A Jamaica man was arrested and charged Friday in connection with a Thursday evening sexual assault in a Harlem subway station
- Two officers witnessed the 50-year-old rub himself against a woman on a subway platform and inside the train car, police said
- The suspect has a history of sexual assault, including nine prior sex abuse arrests dating back to 1992
A sex offender rubbed himself against a woman on the subway train and in a Harlem station in front of two transit officers, police say.
Rodney Pierre, of Jamaica, was arrested Thursday evening. The 50-year-old was charged with persistent sex abuse, forcible touching and sex abuse, police said.
Two plainclothes transit officers were on the northbound 5 train platform at the 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station when they witnessed Pierre grind himself against a woman just before 7 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.
Once the train arrived, he boarded the train with the woman and the officers followed. As the train stalled, the officers again saw him grind himself against the victim's buttocks a second time before taking him into custody.
The officers interviewed the victim, where she confirmed their observations.
Pierre is a level three sex offender, which means that he poses a high risk to others according to New York State law.
Local
The incident is part of a long history of sexual misconduct, with nine prior sex abuse arrests dating back to 1992. He was arrested last month for allegedly ejaculating on a woman's leg on a crowded northbound 4 train at the Kingsbridge Road subway station in October.
