Person of interest in custody in sex assault of sunbathing woman at NYC's Central Park: sources

ByLindsay Tuchman WABC logo
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 10:46PM
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.

NEW YORK -- A man in New York Police Department 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.