Man Pleads Guilty to Rape, Attempted Murder for 2023 Rooftop Attack in Jamaica, Queens

What to Know

• A Queens man pleaded guilty to rape and attempted murder for a brutal daytime attack on a rooftop in 2023, the local district attorney said.
• Jerson Vasquez, 25, of Jamaica, Queens, pleaded guilty Friday to attempted murder in the second degree, rape in the first degree and patronizing a person for prostitution in the third degree, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
• According to Katz, citing court records, on Aug.13, 2023, Vasquez responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad and asked a woman to meet him on the rooftop of an address on 93rd Avenue in the Jamaica section of Queens.

A Queens man pleaded guilty to rape and attempted murder for a brutal daytime attack on a rooftop in 2023, the local district attorney said.

Jerson Vasquez, 25, of Jamaica, Queens, pleaded guilty Friday to attempted murder in the second degree, rape in the first degree and patronizing a person for prostitution in the third degree, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25. He will be ordered to prison for 15 years with 10 years post release supervision, Katz said.

According to Katz, citing court records, on Aug.13, 2023, Vasquez responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad and asked a woman to meet him on the rooftop of an address on 93rd Avenue in the Jamaica section of Queens.

At the top of the building, Vasquez gave the victim $150 and had sex with her before he started choking the woman and slammed her head into a concrete wall. Afterwards, he took his money back. According to court documents, the woman was then punched in the face and as Vasquez sat on top of her, repeatedly slamming her head on the floor while having his hands around her neck.

Subsequently, Vasquez took the woman’s cellphone and left her on the rooftop. Video surveillance shows Vasquez leaving the location with what appeared to be blood on his neck and hand.

The victim was hospitalized for a laceration to the back of her head that required staples to close and had extensive swelling on her head, face, and neck.

“This was a brazen and brutal daytime attack. The defendant raped a woman on a Jamaica rooftop and slammed her head into a concrete wall, choked and punched her,” Katz said. “She suffered extensive injuries and will be physically and emotionally scarred by this incident for the rest of her life. Thanks to her brave testimony, we were able to charge this defendant with rape and attempted murder.”

Conclusion

The prosecution has secured a guilty plea for Jerson Vasquez, who will face a 15-year prison sentence with 10 years of post-release supervision. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of online safety and the devastating consequences of such heinous crimes.

FAQs

• What charges did Jerson Vasquez plead guilty to?
• He pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the second degree, rape in the first degree, and patronizing a person for prostitution in the third degree.
• What was the motive behind the attack?
• The motive is unclear, but it is believed that Vasquez responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad and asked the victim to meet him on the rooftop.
• What was the victim’s condition after the attack?
• The victim was hospitalized for a laceration to the back of her head and had extensive swelling on her head, face, and neck.