Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of JAMES RIZZO, 45, for allegedly assaulting a 68-year-old tourist in November 2025 before attacking a 20-year-old college student a week later. RIZZO is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Assault in the Second Degree, Persistent Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree.[1]
“As alleged, James Rizzo assaulted two women walking on Manhattan sidewalks within less than a week,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Unprovoked, seemingly random assaults on strangers are deeply disturbing, and will remain a focus for our office in 2026.”
As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record in court, on November 27, 2025, at approximately 8:40 p.m., RIZZO approached a 68-year-old woman walking with her sister on West 47th Street near 5th Avenue. RIZZO pushed the victim into a building window and walked off when she fell to the ground. She was hospitalized and required six stitches.
As further alleged, on December 1, 2025, at approximately 9:22 a.m., RIZZO approached the 20-year-old as she walked on Broadway near Greenwich Village. He slapped the 20-year-old’s buttocks, grabbed her hair, and pushed her to the ground, causing substantial pain. As is also alleged, he was previously convicted of Forcible Touching in November 2022 and March 2023. These alleged prior convictions form the basis for his current charge of Persistent Sexual Abuse.
RIZZO was arrested the next day during an alleged series of residential burglaries in Greenwich Village, and also charged with a December 2023 stranger assault. Those cases are pending in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Assistant D.A.s Lucy Shephard and Kailey Wilk are handling the prosecution of the cases under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Jessica Lynn (Chief of Trial Bureau 50) and Vanessa Puzio (Chief of the Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau) and Executive Assistant D.A.s Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division) and Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division).
Defendant Information
JAMES RIZZO
Charges:
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
- Persistent Sexual Abuse, a class E felony, one count
- Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor, one count
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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.