By Ivan Pereira
Police were on the lookout for two men who they say are responsible for several sexual assaults that occurred in southeast Queens over a 48-hour period this week.
The first incident took place on July 8 when a man accosted a 23-year-old woman near North Conduit Avenue and 225th Street, took her to the rear of 224-50 Edgewood Ave. and sexually assaulted her, police said. Two days later around 2 a.m. police say the same man approached an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint near 140th Avenue and S. Gate Street and forced the victim in the rear of 179-37 137th St., raped her and fled, authorities said.
Both victims were taken to local hospitals in stable condition, according to police. In both cases, the women were waiting at a bus stop for the Q85 bus before they were attacked, police said.
Officers were looking for a black male between the ages of 19 and 23, 5-foot-8 inches tall, with a medium build and close cut black hair. He was last seen wearing a black tribal pattern T-shirt with skulls and a rose on it and a messenger bag over his shoulder, police said.
Police were also searching for another man who they say is connected to at least eight sexual assaults in southeast Queens, the most recent of which occurred Wednesday morning in St. Albans. A 16-year-old girl was sodomized at knifepoint in the back lot of a abandoned church in St. Albans near Merrill Street and Brocher Road, police said.
“They were looking around with the dogs,” said a resident who lives near the crime scene and asked not to be identified. “ The dogs found the scent of the guy, but the cops found nothing.”
The suspect was described as a black male who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and had a bandana featuring dollar bills that covered his face, according to police. The victim told officers her attacker had a tattoo of the letter “D” on his right wrist, which may be part of a longer word or message, police said.
The authorities are not saying whether or not one these two suspects are linked to another sexual assault that took place in Springfield Gardens early Thursday morning. A 23-year-old woman was sexually assaulted on 146th Avenue sometime after 12:30 a.m. by a man who may have impersonated an officer, according to City Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), who has talked with the police about the spree.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). All calls will be kept confidential and there is a $12,000 reward per suspect.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
