NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A man convicted of violently raping two women at knifepoint on separate occasions in Manhattan two years ago was sentenced to 50 years-to-life in prison, District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced on Tuesday.
Victor Jenkins, 46, responded to two young women’s online advertisements for commercial sex in November 2022, and was convicted of rape after brutally attacking them.
“Victor Jenkins targeted vulnerable women who he thought would not report his brutal attacks, even explicitly telling one that law enforcement would not believe her. Not only did our prosecutors believe these women, so did a jury of 12 New Yorkers,” said Bragg. “Now, he will serve a significant prison sentence for these horrific crimes.”
A jury convicted him on Aug. 6 of six counts of predatory sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual act, one count of attempted assault, one count of robbery and two counts of assault, prosecutors said.
As proven at his trial, Jenkins went to the East Harlem home of a 26-year-old woman on Nov. 6, 2022, after responding to her advertisement armed with a black folding knife. Once inside, he tackled her, raped and sexually assaulted her, and recorded portions of the attack on his cellphone.
Jenkins then refused payment and left. The survivor did not initially report the rape.
Three days later, Jenkins went to a 20-year-old woman’s Times Square hotel room under similar circumstances. Once inside he held the same folding knife to her throat and raped and sexually assaulted her.
Prosecutors said that Jenkins also stabbed and cut the woman’s arms, beat, strangled and pepper-sprayed her.
In an attempt to conceal his crimes, Jenkins stuffed her duffle bag with the bedding upon which the assaults occurred, and took a photo of the survivor’s license to scare her.
The 20-year-old went to the hospital and reported the attack to police, and Jenkins was indicted five days later. The D.A.’s office continued its investigation, identified the earlier survivor and indicted Jenkins in that case in March 2023.
The indictments were consolidated for trial, and Jenkins was convicted after a four-week jury trial of all counts.
Both survivors testified.
“Thank the survivors for their immense courage in cooperating with law enforcement and, moreover, taking the stand to testify,” Bragg said. “I hope this conviction sends the message that we are here to help all survivors, no matter the circumstances.”