“Keanu Martinez violently raped a woman and a teenager who he targeted for their perceived vulnerabilities. But these survivors were stronger than he could have imagined, and took the stand to testify to his horrific crimes,” said District Attorney Bragg. “I thank my office’s prosecutors and everyone who worked on this trial for securing accountability for these crimes. Most of all, I thank the survivors for their bravery in sharing what happened both at the trial and at today’s sentencing.” 

As proven at trial, on April 7, 2024, MARTINEZ met the 30-year-old survivor outside of her Harlem apartment building. The survivor is diagnosed with schizophrenia and suffers from frequent hallucinations. The next day, she came to MARTINEZ’s apartment. When she tried to leave, MARTINEZ locked her in his bedroom and demanded sex. She repeatedly refused, and MARTINEZ physically assaulted her, including biting her arm, choking her, and hitting her with a metal chair. He threatened to cut her with a boxcutter, which he did not possess at the time, and then raped her before finally letting her leave. 

Approximately four days after raping the 30-year-old survivor, MARTINEZ met the 16-year-old survivor on a bus near Harlem. They exchanged phone numbers, and MARTINEZ proceeded to call and text her more than 300 times over the following two weeks. They occasionally met at his apartment, where he provided marijuana, alcohol, and food or money to purchase food. On April 30, 2024, after hanging out at his apartment, MARTINEZ became enraged when she attempted to leave. He threatened her with his two dogs, and brandished a boxcutter. He forcibly raped her multiple times throughout the night, threatening her with the boxcutter whenever she attempted to leave. She escaped the next morning when MARTINEZ’s roommate heard her crying and asking for help. 

MARTINEZ was identified when officers from the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad realized the similarities between the two reports, among other factors. He was arrested inside his building’s hallway on May 2, 2024. 

Assistant D.A.s Christina Kapalko and Lauren Brotherton handled the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Austin Minogue, Bethany Spiro (Deputy Chief of the Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau), and Jennifer Sigall (Deputy Chief of Trial Bureau 70), and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division). Analyst Kat Burke, former Analyst Bella Mannray, and Human Trafficking Clinical Director Melissa Martinez provided valuable assistance. 

District Attorney Bragg thanked the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad for its work on the case, particularly Officer Christian Spina and Detective Lytzaria Lopez. 

###