“The crimes charged in this indictment are among the most brutal imaginable. We allege Ellow Williams not only forcibly raped but attempted to murder a young woman in her own building by repeatedly strangling her,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Our Special Victims Division has the resources to both hold offenders accountable and support survivors as they heal; please call us at 212-335-9373.”
“Acquaintance rape is perhaps the least commonly understood form of sexual assault, but by far the most common element in the cases we see each and every day,” said District Attorney Bragg. “In fact, study after study shows that nationwide, the vast majority of rape survivors knew their attacker, much like we allege here. I urge anyone who has survived sexual assault to contact us at 212-335-9373 – our Special Victims Division and its Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor centered manner.”
“Women deserve to walk home without fearing that they are being followed or that they will be sexually assaulted,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, Vertell Dunham pushed past a young woman after trailing her to her building under the guise of needing medical care, before strangling her and attempting to sexually assault her. Thank you to our partners at the NYPD for their quick action arresting the defendant the next day – as he attempted to follow a college student into her residence hall.”
“While Dennis Weaver’s campaign of harassment and intimidation tactics may have deterred the survivor in this case from testifying at trial, it did not stop our prosecutors from securing accountability,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Weaver turned his girlfriend’s life into a living nightmare when she tried to end their relationship. His abusive acts escalated over the course of months before he finally brutally and repeatedly sexually assaulted her at knifepoint.”
“As alleged, Miles McNeal abused his power as an afterschool program teacher to sexually abuse an 8-year-old student. These alleged acts are despicable, and no student or parent should ever have to fear that they may face this abusive behavior at a school,” said District Attorney Bragg. “We believe that there may be additional survivors, and this remains an ongoing investigation. Please reach out to our Office if you believe your child may have been abused by Miles McNeal – our team has extensive experience and trauma-informed training to handle these investigations with the care and sensitivity they deserve.”
