NYPD: 3 Of 4 Suspects Charged In Sex Assault Of Woman Leaving Church In Queens
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Three suspects who police said are charged with robbing and sexually assaulting a woman after she left church in Queens are set to face a judge Friday as authorities continue to search for a fourth suspect.
The three suspects walked out of the Queens Special Victims Unit station house in handcuffs early Friday morning.
Twenty-year-old Brandon Walker, 17-year-old Justin Williams and 19-year-old Julisses Ginel are all charged with robbery, criminal sex act, criminal use of a firearm and sex abuse, according to police. Walker and Williams are also charged with menacing, authorities said.
Ginel and Williams have also been accused in a separate crime -- they allegedly robbed three men at gunpoint the night after the assault. They have been charged with first and second degree robbery in that incident.
Police said all three and another still unidentified man can be seen on surveillance video walking down 150th Street in Jamaica when one of them starts running towards the victim walking to the subway, having just left evening service.
Police said they held her up at gunpoint and stole her debit card and cellphone. Detectives say her clothes were then torn before the men took turns sexually assaulting her, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
She ran back to her church, Celestial Church of Christ, where her pastor called police.
"She was just crying like a baby," the pastor's wife, Bose Oyetunde, said. "We couldn't control her because she said she has never had that kind of experience before."
The church community is now praying for the victim, who they say is physically unharmed but emotionally distraught and afraid to walk alone.
As CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported, the group was identified by surveillance video and witness statements. Neighbors are thankful they were found quickly.
"I'm glad that they have surveillance videos around," said resident Sharon Perry. "That helps some."
But some are still waiting anxiously for the fourth suspect to be caught.
"I hope they catch all of them," another resident said. "It's horrible."
Police are reviewing surveillance video to try to identify the fourth suspect.
