Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the sentencing of MEHRDAD GAMSHADZAHI, 51, to 15 years in state prison for raping a 64-year-old woman in the Financial District hotel where they both sheltered during the early days of the COVID pandemic. On June 14, 2024, GAMSHADZAHI was convicted by a New York State Supreme Court jury of all of the charges in the indictment against him: Rape in the First Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.

“As the pandemic reached its height in Spring 2020, this defendant preyed on a fellow COVID-shelter resident in a horrific attack,” said District Attorney Bragg. “He turned what should have been a safe haven into a nightmare for an ill woman who had already endured so much. Thank you to the jury for its careful consideration of this case, and most importantly, to the survivor for her courage in taking the stand to testify.”

As proven at trial, on April 15, 2020, GAMSHADZAHI was staying in a hotel located at 52 William Street, which had been converted to a quarantine shelter during the COVID pandemic. At approximately 2:00 p.m., the defendant knocked on the door of the 64-year-old woman, who has COPD and relies on an oxygen tank. After entering her room – claiming he was a maintenance worker looking for mold – GAMSHADZAHI slammed the door closed, strangled her, and forcibly raped her.

Assistant D.A. Austin Minogue, Katelyn Colman, and Meghan McNulty handled the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Sara Weiss, Vanessa Puzio, and Kaitlyn Flatley (Deputy Chiefs of the Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau), Assistant D.A. Nicole Blumberg (Chief of the Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau) and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division). Sex Crimes Clinical Director Nakeisha Vanterpool, Senior Investigator Alan Sandomir, Investigative Analyst Eva Nikitovic, and former Investigative Analyst Una Cooper provided valuable assistance. 

 

Defendant Information

MEHRDAD GAMSHADZAHI

Convicted:

• Rape in The First Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D felony, one count 

Sentenced:

• 15 years in prison
• 10 years post-release supervision

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