NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A 25-year-old man has been indicted for rape and other crimes for a June sex attack inside a Queens park on a 13-year-old girl who was tied up and raped at machete-point, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
Christian Inga was arraigned on a 16-count indictment charging him with three counts of predatory sexual assault, rape, two counts of criminal sexual act, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of robbery, sexual abuse, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon.
According to the investigation, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on June 13, Inga approached two children, both 13, inside Kissena Park in Flushing. He then allegedly pulled out a machete-style knife, threatened them and instructed them to go to a wooded area with him.
Once in the isolated area, Inga allegedly bound the teens' wrists together and stuffed a cloth into the girl's mouth and another piece of cloth into the boy's mouth. He then allegedly proceeded to rape and sexually assault the girl.
Before fleeing the park, Inga allegedly took both victims' cell phones.
The teens gave a detailed description of the attacker to authorities and - after an intensive manhunt, officers spotted Inga in Corona and arrested him.
"This was a daytime nightmare for two children who were simply enjoying a day in the park after school. The defendant is accused of raping the girl after threatening the youngsters with a knife, forcing them into a wooded area, tying them together and gagging them," DA Katz said.
"These children gave a detailed description of their alleged attacker and thanks to community members and the NYPD, Christian Inga was arrested after an intensive manhunt. The defendant is now charged with predatory sexual assault – one of the highest charges available in New York state – and will face justice in our courts," she added.
Inga is set to return to court on Nov. 12. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
