A man was arrested for the attempted sexual assault of three women in a park in Upper Manhattan, New York City. One woman was hospitalized with head injuries after an alleged rape attempt.

Elvis Nina Pichardo, 40, was charged with two counts of attempted rape, sexually motivated assault, attempted criminal sexual act, attempted sexual abuse and assault, among other offenses. He was also arrested on a separate public lewdness charge in connection with an incident in Chinatown earlier on July 21, 2021.

“In New York, sexual assault refers to a wide range of misconduct that involves sexual contact without the other person’s consent, including rape,” commented Peter Brill, a New York criminal defense lawyer with Brill Legal Group, who is not involved with the case. “Sexual assault convictions carry harsh penalties such as lengthy prison time and mandatory sex offender registration.”

The spree of alleged attacks occurred within a span of 40 minutes in Inwood Hill Park. The three women reported being either threatened or attacked between 11:20 a.m. and noon.

The New York Police Department said Pichardo threatened to rape a 34-year-old woman. He hit her on the head and stole her iPhone and watch. According to police, Pichardo then allegedly threatened to sexually assault a 40-year-old woman walking her dog. He demanded her phone before she was able to run away.

Pichardo allegedly tried to rape a third woman. He was accused of hitting the 44-year-old on the head with a tree branch before repeatedly slamming her head on the ground, knocking her unconscious. Police said Pichardo pulled the woman’s pants down in an attempt to rape her. He then stole her phone and backpack.

The third woman was taken to Harlem Hospital with head injuries. She was in stable condition.

Police said Pichardo had just relocated to the Bronx. He had prior charges of sexual assault and kidnapping from Waco, Texas, on his record. Officers said the investigation remained ongoing.

“Being charged with sexual assault is a serious matter,” said Brill. “New York is known to heavily prosecute all types of sexual offenses. Anyone facing such accusations should immediately contact a skilled criminal defense attorney who can fight the charges.”