Person of interest in custody in Central Park sex assault of sunbathing woman, police sources say

ByLindsay Tuchman WABC logo
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 9:36PM
Person of interest in custody in Central Park sex assault of sunbathing woman
Kemberly Richardson has the details on the person of interest in the Central Park sex assault of a sunbathing woman.

CENTRAL PARK (WABC) -- A man in NYPD custody in a forcible touching case is the person police believe attacked a woman sunbathing in Central Park last month, police sources told ABC News.

Jermaine Longmire, 42, has not been charged in the June 24 sexual assault of the woman in the park, but the sources said DNA links him to the incident.

The Central Park sexual assault prompted a manhunt for the suspect, who police say attacked the sunbather in the Great Hill section of the park near 104th Street in the middle of the afternoon.

Longmire has been in custody at Rikers Island after he was charged with groping a 27-year-old woman on a southbound A train platform on the Upper West Side on June 15.

In that case, Longmire is accused of coming up behind the victim and putting his hand under her dress.

Police say he has five previous arrests in New York City, as well as prior arrests in Florida, including for sex crimes.

No charges have been filed against him in the Central Park case, which is expected to go before a grand jury.

ALSO READ | NYPD warning thieves targeting Central Park visitors in Zelle scam

Janice Yu has the full report on Zelle scamming.

----------

* Get Eyewitness News Delivered

* More New York City news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.