By Karen Frantz
A jury convicted a 22-year-old Corona man of raping and attempting to murder his teenage ex-girlfriend and mother of his young son in Queens Supreme Court last Friday, the district attorney said.
“The facts of this case — in which the defendant has been found guilty of the violent assault on his child’s mother and the degradation and humiliation that she had previously suffered at his hands — clearly shows that he is a threat to society and deserving of a maximum prison sentence,” DA Richard Brown said.
Daniel Paguay had tried to win his then-17-year-old ex-girlfriend back in 2011 and became violent when she rebuffed him, trial testimony revealed.
He was convicted of attempted murder, rape, assault, burglary, criminal trespass, criminal possession of a weapon and several other charges, according to the DA.
Brown said that one night in April 2011, Paguay went to the victim’s home in Corona to ask her to move back in with him, but when she said no he forced her at knifepoint to his home a few houses away.
Once there he took her into the basement and stabbed her in the thigh, Brown said.
“I did that to make you feel the same as me,” he was charged as saying.
He then raped her before releasing her to return home, the DA said.
Then two months later, on June 20, the same day Paguay failed to appear in Queens Criminal Court in connection with the rape, testimony revealed a bloody scene took place elsewhere in the borough.
Brown said that morning Paguay chased the victim down 38th Avenue, capturing her and choking her.
Paguay then dragged her into the Fine Fare Supermarket, at 109th Street and 37th Avenue, and stabbed her multiple times in the back with a knife in view of police officers who had arrived at the scene, Brown said.
The victim was rushed to a hospital in cardiac arrest and the attack left her paralyzed from the waist down, the DA said.
Paguay was also convicted of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home June 11 to search for paperwork, despite a protective order issued against him, Brown said. Paguay was apparently scared off by the victim’s sister, Brown said.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder set the sentencing for April 30. Paguay faces up to 50 years in prison.
Reach reporter Karen Frantz by e-mail at kfrantz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
