Port Jervis City Police report investigating two sexual assaults occurring on September 15^th and September 17^th during the early morning hours in the City Port Jervis.

On September 15^th, at approximately 12:00am, a 27-year-old female reported that she was walking to her residence on Barcelow Street near the intersection with Fowler Street when she was forcibly grabbed from behind, dragged into a driveway and forcibly raped.  The victim reported the incident to police and was transported to Bon Secours Community Hospital for treatment.  Officers, including a canine team and detectives, searched for the suspect without success.  The investigation into this incident is on-going.

On September 17, at approximately 1:00am, a 29-year-old female reported that she was walking on West Main Street in the vicinity of Clark Street when she was forcibly grabbed from behind and dragged down a steep embankment leading to the D&H Canal Tow Path.  The assailant physically assaulted the victim and attempted to sexually assault her.  The victim struggled with the suspect ultimately causing the suspect to terminate the attack and to flee on foot.  The victim was transported by officers to Bon Secours Community Hospital where she was treated for injuries sustained during this assault.

Port Jervis City Police Canine unit was deployed to assist officers with the search.  Additional units from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and State Police were dispatched and provided assistance in searching for the suspect.

During the investigation into this second incident, Police developed a suspect and with the assistance of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, a search warrant was obtained from Orange County Court for a premise located at 149 Pike Street, Apartment #1, in the City of Port Jervis.

Detectives and Officers executed the search warrant during the evening hours of September 17^th and took Lionel Williams, age 44 of 149 Pike Street, Apartment #1, into custody.  Williams was charged by City detectives with one count Attempted First Degree Rape, a class C violent felony offense and Attempted First Degree Sexual Abuse, Felony, in connection with the incident which occurred on September 17, 2018 on West Main Street.

Williams is currently being held in the Port Jervis City Lock-up Facility pending an arraignment in City Court.

Orange County Rape Crisis Services has been assisting the Port Jervis Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in this investigation.

At this time, the investigation is continuing into both sexual assault cases and police are seeking information from the public.  Please contact the Port Jervis Police Department at 845-856-5101 or the Detective Unit at 845-858-4003 if you should have information related to these incidents.

Bail –  Arraigned in City Court by Hon. Judge Matthew Witherow and remanded to Orange County Jail in lieu of $750,000 cash bail pending Grand Jury evaluation scheduled for September 20, 2018.

Notice: A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt