An alleged home invader and sexual assailant of a single mother was arrested on May 18, and his arrest was made public the following day with the release of his name, 27-year-old Jayquan Martinez.
Martinez was charged with Burglary; Attempted Criminal Sexual Act; Criminal Possession of Stolen Property; Attempted Sexual Misconduct; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, according to NYPD, The Brooklyn Eagle reported.
The victim slept before 2 a.m. on May 12, Martinez is accused of breaking into a 43-year-old woman’s Brooklyn Heights apartment while her 13-year-old son was inside.
The boy was not harmed, but the mother was harassed and her wallet, including an undisclosed amount of money and credit, was stolen.
The mother used her body to block Martinez from entering the room of her son, who was asleep when his mother was attacked. The victim, who was fighting off a much larger and heavier attacker, lunged, screamed and made herself appear larger to throw Martinez off, the Brooklyn Eagle reported.
“I kept screaming like an animal because I was trying to protect my son,” the mother, whose name was not revealed for privacy concerns, said.
Although her name was not released, the victim is reportedly an actress and producer who is said to be accomplished.
Martinez managed to leave the apartment that night, but an aggressive effort by the NYPD’s 84th Precinct, specifically its Special Victims Squad, led to his capture within days.
With the help of Det. Shania Roach and the 84th Precinct’s commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Adeel Rana, the Special Victims Squad reviewed the victim’s and other residents’ statements to police; checked security cameras in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood; and obtained a photo from a subway camera.
The victim cooperation with the police artist who created a sketch that was posted on lampposts in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO, and further posted on social media and shared with news outlets. The victim’s apartment was searched for forensic samples, and samples were taken from the victim’s body, clothing, and bedding.
Although Martinez was apprehended, the victim and her son told the Brooklyn Eagle that they were having trouble sleeping after the incident, with the mother saying, “I can’t sleep without a knife in my bed.”
