Level 3 sex offender charged with attempted robbery, sex abuse in Queens elevator attack

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Man arrested in attemped sexual attack in Queens elevator
A 62-year-old man was arrested in the attack of a woman inside a Queens elevator.

FOREST HILLS, Queens (WABC) -- A 62-year-old man is under arrest after he allegedly attempted to sexually assault a woman inside the elevator of a Queens apartment building.

Ralph Toro, a level 3 sex offender, has been charged with attempted robbery and sex abuse in the December 17 attack.

It happened inside an apartment building at 62nd Drive and 108th Street in Forest Hills.

He allegedly followed a 51-year-old woman into the elevator and took out a knife.

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The victim emptied her belongings onto the floor, and police say Toro searched her body for additional property.

Then, the victim says Toro began pulling down her pants and sexually assaulting her.

She was able to push the suspect out of the elevator to get away. The victim was taken to an area hospital in stable condition.

Toro allegedly made off with nothing.

He was later arrested at a Queens hotel where registered sex offenders are placed following their release.

He was arrested wearing the same clothes he had on during the attack of the 51-year-old woman, according to police.

Toro was paroled in February after serving 35 years of a 20-years-to-life sentence.

He has numerous prior arrests, including a Jan. 9, 1986 attack on a 13-year-old girl and 29-year-old woman.

He was convicted in June 1987. The same month, he was arrested on first-degree robbery and burglary, and third-degree grand larceny charges.

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