amNY: EXCLUSIVE | One-on-one with DA Bragg on battling sex crimes and domestic violence in Manhattan
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had a particularly busy Wednesday that had nothing to do with the ongoing trial of former President Donald Trump — which takes up most of the attention of late at the Manhattan Criminal Court House.
On May 15, Bragg announced indictments against two alleged sex crime and domestic violence perpetrators in one day. But securing indictments and convictions against hardened criminals is not Bragg’s only focus; he is also working with his team of attorneys, social workers and specialists to assist the victims and families directly impacted by these crimes.
“It’s to say ‘we’re here’ and don’t just think of us as a place to prosecute a case but really as a stakeholder to be involved in prevention and education,” Bragg said in an exclusive interview with amNewYork Metro on May 15. “We want to foster an environment where the district attorney’s office is part of the community.”
The first big indictment Bragg announced on May 15 focused on Jose Rodriguez, 54, who is accused of attempting to shoot his ex-girlfriend and fatally shooting her nephew, 19-year-old Ramon Alvarez, in East Harlem on April 10.
Rodriquez was arguing with his 38-year-old ex-girlfriend and had asked him to leave her apartment when Alvarez tried to intervene and control the dispute. It was then that Rodriguez brandished a gun and delivered the fatal shot to Alvarez, who was set to be a first-time father.
“Jose Rodriguez allegedly fired shots towards his ex-girlfriend and her nephew, tragically taking Mr. Alvarez’s life, a young dad-to-be who was awaiting the birth of his child this month,” Bragg said.
Then there’s the case of an alleged SoHo rapist.
Less than a month ago, police arrested Ellow Williams who stalked and then brutally raped a 23-year-old woman inside her SoHo apartment on April 21 — all while he was on parole for robbery.
Bragg’s team is also celebrating the conviction of Fernando Munera, who was convicted Tuesday of murder, burglary and criminal contempt after killing his ex-girlfriend Alayna Hardy in Harlem in 2021.
The case remained stagnant for three years with little to no media coverage, but justice has now been served. Bragg said Munera could get 35 years to life in prison upon sentencing.
The Randall’s Island rapist, 57-year-old Terrance Banks, was also found guilty this week of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and raping a 47-year-old woman in two separate attacks in 2019.
Helping violence survivors
There are, of course, many other cases that don’t make the news. Many don’t even make it to a police report.
“There’s a lot going on in the intimate partner and sexual violence space to have those two arraignments on the same day,” Bragg said. “There’s no shortage of this work. And one of the things about this area is that it’s underreported historically.”
Just as sexual assault and domestic violence continue to be underreported, these crimes are also rising in the city. According to the NYPD, as of April 3, rape was up more than 12% from this time last year.
As for domestic violence, that’s up too, especially among women of color. Intimate-partner homicides increased nearly 30% during a one-year period, according to a 2023 report from the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence.
But Bragg found a new way to help tackle these alarming statistics. He launched last month the Survivor Services Bureau (SSB), a pilot program that offers resources to victims of violent offenses that they might need as their criminal cases proceed.
These resources include counseling, safety assessments, referrals, relocation assistance and other services — all offered in English, Spanish and other languages.
“One thing that is key, the SSB is providing services whether there’s a prosecution or not,” Bragg said, adding that he wants to earn the trust of victims to encourage them to come forward when they are faced with violent crime.
Outreach is important for getting the word out to the community about the SSB, Bragg said. His office will often participate in everything from the community block party to high-school moot courts to engage stakeholders about the bureau.
For more information about the Manhattan’s DA’s victim resources, visit manhattanda.org.