NEW YORK CITY, NY - On September 27, police apprehended Sinke Merim Zegwe, 39.
The arrest came nearly two months after the registered sex offender reportedly physically and sexually assaulted a 40-year-old woman on the subway.
On August 3, the victim was allegedly attacked by Zegwe on a Northbound C train, shortly before it pulled into 168th Street in Washington Heights stop.
The New York Post reported:
He demanded money from the victim before he slammed her into the train car seats and strangled her until she temporarily lost consciousness in the 9:45 p.m. attack, cops said.
He then placed his hands inside her bra and attempted to rape her, police said.
When the train stopped, he dragged the still unconscious woman onto the platform before fleeing, according to police.
Zewge has been charged with attempted rape, robbery, assault, unlawful imprisonment and criminal obstruction of breathing.
*In May 2011, Zegwe was convicted of attempted rape and served five years in prison. He was released in 2017, and placed on parole, and is listed as a Level II sex offender.
His parole was not set to end until June 2022.
In 2017, he was also charged with second-degree forgery and identity theft, after stealing a New Canaan man’s identity and opening several credit card accounts in the victim’s name. He pleaded guilty in that case.
Zegwe came to this country from Ethiopia, and apparently began his criminal career shortly thereafter, as he also has a juvenile record.
