BROOKLYN — A 34-year-old man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with kidnapping, robbery and assault for the sexually motivated attack on a 20-year-old female college student on January 3, 2019 in which the defendant allegedly forced the victim into his car at knifepoint, sexually assaulted and attempted to abduct her before she was able to fight him off.
District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “Thanks to the bravery of the victim and the tenacious, quick-witted work of our police, we were able to quickly apprehend the defendant before he could hurt someone else. I am committed to seeking justice for victims of sexual assault in Brooklyn.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Oniel Reid, 34, of Mount Vernon, NY. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Miller on a 22-count indictment in which he is charged with second-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault as a sexually motivated felony, first- and second-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-, second- and third-degree robbery as a sexually motivated felony, first-, second- and third-degree robbery, first-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching and related charges. He was ordered held on $500,000 bail and to return to court on March 6, 2019.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on January 3, 2019, at approximately 6 p.m., the victim, a 20-year-old woman, was walking on Lott Avenue near Christopher Avenue in Brownsville when Reid, whose face was half-covered with a blue bandana, allegedly grabbed her from behind, held a knife to her neck and taped her mouth, then forced her into his car.
It is alleged that the victim was able to wrestle the knife from Reid inside the car before he hit her with a tire iron and sexually assaulted her. After rummaging through the victim’s purse, it is alleged that Reid shoved her out of the car and drove away with her purse, including her wallet and Android phone.
Officers responding to the incident collected surveillance footage in which Reid is allegedly seen forcing the victim into his Honda Pilot. Using the Find My Device Android application, police were able to track the victim’s cell phone to Mount Vernon. Investigators determined Reid likely crossed the Whitestone Bridge on his way from the incident location to Mount Vernon. A review of Honda Pilot license plates that crossed the bridge after the incident led to the vehicle that’s registered to Reid.
On the morning of January 4, 2019, police arrested Reid at his home, where they located the Honda Pilot that was seen crossing the Whitestone Bridge and on surveillance footage of the attack. Officers also recovered his clothing—including a bloody blue bandana and sneakers with down feathers from the victim’s coat—as well as the victim’s ID, keys and credit cards.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nasar and Senior Assistant District Attorney Lana Schlesinger of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.
