What to Know
- A man wanted in connection with at least three sexual assaults in Manhattan has been arrested, the NYPD said
- Rashaun Kelley, 35, of Brooklyn, was arrested and charged in connection with three attacks dating back to 2014 and 2015
- Police had linked the same man to at least two other sex attacks in the East Village, but Kelley hasn't been charged for those
An attorney has been arrested and charged with three sexual assaults that took place in Manhattan more than three years ago, the NYPD said.
Rashaun Kelley, 35, of Brooklyn, was arrested and charged Friday night in connection with three attacks in 2014 and 2015, police said. In the attacks, the women were grabbed, touched and, in one case, the woman's pants were pulled down.
Kelley has his own Park Avenue law firm and previously was a partner in Carrion, Soto, Viruet and Kelley, said his lawyer and former partner, Christopher Carrion.
"If this is true, it's the first I've heard of him behaving this way -- and we intend to mount a vigorous defense,” Carrion told NBC 4 New York.
Kelley was arraigned Saturday and bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 10.
Police say a 19-year-old girl was walking into an elevator in the lobby of an apartment building on Roosevelt Drive in the East Village after midnight on Dec. 16, 2014, when Kelley allegedly grabbed her buttocks and breasts and tried to kiss her.
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After a struggle, the girl managed to flee the elevator, according to police. Kelley allegedly grabbed her buttocks again before fleeing the building, police said.
A day later, on Dec. 17, 2014, a 20-year-old woman was walking into her apartment building somewhere in the 30th Precinct, which includes Hamilton Heights, Sugar Hill and West Harlem, around 4:25 a.m. when Kelley allegedly went into the building behind her, covered her mouth and started touching her back and buttocks, the NYPD said.
Kelley fled the scene after the attack, according to police.
And on Jan. 14, 2015, a 31-year-old woman was opening the door to her apartment building somewhere in the 5th Precinct, which includes Chinatown, Little Italy and the Bowery, around 2:30 a.m. when Kelley allegedly approached her from behind, grabbed her waist and pulled her pants down, police said.
Kelley pushed the woman away and fled the area when the woman screamed, according to police.
Police say Kelley was wearing a black Yankees hat during all three of the attacks. He’s been charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of sex abuse for the Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 2014, incidents, and attempted rape, burglary and sex abuse for the Jan. 14, 2015, incident.
Police had previously linked Kelley to sexual assaults that took place in the East Village on Dec. 9 and Dec. 28, 2014, but Kelley had not been charged for those attacks as of Saturday morning, the NYPD said.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
