A 30-year-old man accused of committing three sexual assaults over five years in New York City’s Central Park was apprehended in Miami Beach, Florida. Authorities reported his arrest on Tuesday at a Burger King on Washington Avenue.
The suspect, identified as Dereck Rivera-Deleon, was taken into custody following the collaboration between the NYPD, U.S. Marshals Service, and Miami Beach police. The NYPD emphasized their commitment to public safety, stating, “The NYPD will stop at nothing to get dangerous criminals off our streets.”
Rivera-Deleon’s arrest is linked to a specific incident on October 24, where a woman reported being sexually assaulted in Central Park’s eastern section. Authorities located Rivera-Deleon in South Florida, where he had procured employment at a local restaurant.
An extraditable warrant was issued on Monday regarding the October 24 assault. The assault occurred around 8:30 p.m. near East 66th Street and Fifth Avenue. According to police, the victim, a 39-year-old woman, stated she was threatened with a knife, forced into wooded parkland, and then assaulted.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani labeled the incident a “horrific” act. Miami Beach police further connected Rivera-Deleon to two other alleged sexual assaults in Central Park from 2021 and 2023. These connections were made through DNA evidence and victim identifications.
Authorities have stated that Rivera-Deleon is expected to face charges for these past incidents. Ricky J. Patel, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of New York, underscored their tenacity in pursuing justice, saying offenders have nowhere to hide in the U.S.
Rivera-Deleon is currently held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in South Florida. He awaits extradition to New York, where he faces multiple sexual assault charges.