Serial rapist in Bronx court after arrest for ‘raping woman in her apartment elevator at knifepoint’

Ramon Rotestan, 39, is pictured in Bronx Criminal Court on Thursday

A serial rapist appeared before a judge in the Bronx on Thursday to be arraigned on charges of raping a woman in the elevator of her apartment building, just six weeks after he was paroled following 16 years in jail.   

Ramon Rotestan, 39, turned himself into cops on Thursday and was filmed being perp-walked.

He later appeared before a judge, and according to the charge sheet told his victim: ‘This is a robbery. Don’t do anything stupid.’ 

Rotestan was charged with 12 counts, including rape, robbery, sexual abuse, forcible touching and burglary.

Police said the suspect followed the woman into the elevator of her Bronx apartment building located in the area of Bolton Street and Lydig Avenue in Pelham Parkway 

Video surveillance captured inside the elevator shows the knife-wielding suspect speaking to the victim before robbing and raping her at knifepoint. 

At one point when the elevator stops at the second floor, the suspect is seen looking directly into the camera before scoping out the area to ensure they were alone, before pulling out a condom and performing the violent sex act. 

The suspect robbed the woman, who appeared to hand over her wallet, of $112 before fleeing the scene.

Rotestan had only been free for six weeks when he attacked again, raping a woman in the elevator of her building at knifepoint before robbing her of $112

Rotestan had only been free for six weeks when he attacked again, raping a woman in the elevator of her building at knifepoint before robbing her of $112

Ramon Rotestan, a Level 3 offender, followed the woman back to her Bronx apartment before robbing and raping her at knifepoint. Rotestan had been out on parole for six weeks after serving 16 years behind bars, before Monday's night sex crime

Ramon Rotestan, a Level 3 offender, followed the woman back to her Bronx apartment before robbing and raping her at knifepoint. Rotestan had been out on parole for six weeks after serving 16 years behind bars, before Monday’s night sex crime 

The suspect walking onto the elevator after stalking and trailing his victim

The suspect walking onto the elevator after stalking and trailing his victim 

Rotestan being escorted out by a police officer from the 49th Street Precinct. On Thursday, Rotestan turned himself in after police had been searching for him

Rotestan being escorted out by a police officer from the 49th Street Precinct. On Thursday, Rotestan turned himself in after police had been searching for him 

A mug shot of Ramon Rotestan who has had a string of sex crimes going back nearly a decade. Before Monday's sex assault he was out on parole for only six weeks

A mug shot of Ramon Rotestan who has had a string of sex crimes going back nearly a decade. Before Monday’s sex assault he was out on parole for only six weeks

A recent NYC crime chart shows the staggering spike in crime through May 8, 2022

A recent NYC crime chart shows the staggering spike in crime through May 8, 2022

Crime on the streets of New York is at a record high with robbery up 44.5 percent, felony assaults 19 percent, rape 12 percent, and overall crimes a staggering 41.26 percent making many New Yorkers feel uneasy.

After the unprovoked attack, the victim was taken to Jacobi Medical Center for treatment, The New York Post reported.   

It is yet another shocking incidence of crime in the Big Apple where rape, assault and robbery have all soared. 

On the same evening as the harrowing rape, New York City’s party-loving Mayor Eric Adams was rubbing shoulders with celebrities at a star-studded fundraiser which included the likes of Jeff Bezos.

Comedian John Mulaney, the night’s host for entertainment at the Robin Hood Foundation’s annual benefit gala at the Javits Center, in midtown Manhattan, ripped into Adams, 61.

The Grammy-winning comic took aim at the mayor’s reputation as a jet-setting party boy, joking that he traveled so much he didn’t live in NYC.

‘I love Mayor Adams. He’s done so much good for the city that he’s thinking of moving here,’ Mulaney quipped. 

Last week, the mayor left his crime-plagued city to hobnob with billionaires and comedians on the West Coast . 

The cop-turned-politician flew to Los Angeles for a three-day jaunt in LA to drum up positive press and business for the Big Apple.

During his trip, which included catching Dave Chappelle’s show at the Hollywood Bowl, he was seen at a dinner at the hyper-cool, members-only San Vincente Bungalows hosted by top Hollywood agent Cade Hudson, according to Page Six.

A source told Page Six that the soiree was ‘to welcome the mayor to L.A.’

The San Vincente Bungalows, which was started by Jeff Klein in 2019, has a 750 members comprised of what the New York Times referred to as ‘apex predators’ like Steven Spielberg and Netflix co-CEO, Ted Sarandos. 

The annual dues costing $4,200 for members over 35; $1,800 for those younger.

Screenwriter Jon Robin Baitz told the Times the décor was ‘a cross between a glorious English cottage, Bugsy Siegel’s hide-out and Bemelman’s bar.’

The club is so private that camera lenses of all cell phones are covered with a sticker when members enter, and photography is forbidden.

Mayor Adams has become know for his taste for the nightlife. He's seen here stepping out at Manhattan's members-only club Zero Bond

Mayor Adams has become know for his taste for the nightlife. He’s seen here stepping out at Manhattan’s members-only club Zero Bond

Meanwhile, crime continues to rise across New York – despite Adams’ promises to crack down on the already surging numbers under predecessor Bill de Blasio.

Guest list of NYC Mayor Eric Adams’s super-secret L.A. Soiree 

  • CAA agent Cade Hudson
  • Paris Hilton
  • ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ actor Casey Affleck 
  • Goldie Hawn
  • Sports agent Rich Paul
  • Hollywood producer John Goldwyn
  • San Vincente Bungalows owner Jeff Klein
  • Former ambassador to the Bahamas Nicole Avant
  • Kate Hudson

Through May 1, overall crime is up 41 percent in New York City from the same period in 2021. 

While murders are down 14 percent, robberies are up 44 percent and felony assaults are up 19 percent.

In January 2022, Mayor Adams unveiled a comprehensive plan to combat the surge in crime, which included increased foot patrols as well as the revival of a plain clothes unit named Neighborhood Safety Teams.

The mayor also launched his Subway Safety plan in February, which sent 1,000 officers with health care partners to crackdown on homelessness and crime in the city’s transit system.

Yet the initiatives have bore little fruit as crime continues to rise, with murder and rape being the only crimes to see a down tick between April 2022 and April 2021.

The NYPD reported 31 murders last month, a 38 percent drop from the 50 last year, and rapes fell by 6 percent, with 109 cases reported in April.

Adams’ jet-setter and celebrity groupie status seems to be at odds with his image of an outer borough guy, raised by a single mom who was house cleaner.

He’s talked about being beaten up by police before he went on to join the NYPD and rising to the rank of captain.

‘I am just a blue-collar guy scraping along,’ he once told Politico. ‘I’m potentially the first blue-collar mayor.’

The former SNL writer made fun of Adams' approach to crime reduction in New York City after the mayor justified the arrest of a subway vendor

The former SNL writer made fun of Adams’ approach to crime reduction in New York City after the mayor justified the arrest of a subway vendor

Outer-borough Mayor Eric Adams glammed it up last weekend during a super-secret soiree with Paris Hilton, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson

Outer-borough Mayor Eric Adams glammed it up last weekend during a super-secret soiree with Paris Hilton, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson

Adams sported a custom-made tuxedo at the Met Gala with an anti-gun message emblazoned on the back

Adams sported a custom-made tuxedo at the Met Gala with an anti-gun message emblazoned on the back

Adams has been known to attend Zero Bond, the downtown Manhattan members-only club.

He’s chided New Yorkers for staying in, saying the Big Apple has become ‘so boring’ in March.

‘I want to become a city of excitement again,’ he said.

The mayor also took heat from political pundits for jetting out of the city too often while the city suffers through a rise in crime.

He’s been to Miami, Chicago, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Los Angeles in the first few months in office.

Adams sees no contradiction in stepping out at night and fighting crime in the city.

He combined the two themes recently at the ultra-swank Met Gala after returning from his L.A. trip.

During the red-carpet event, Adams wore a custom-made tuxedo jacket with the words ‘End Gun Violence’ emblazoned on the back.’

‘We need to keep that in the forefront as we enjoy the financial ecosystem,’ he told the New York Times.

‘Several people cautioned him against doing too many trips because it will hurt,’ Karen Hinton, ex-press secretary for Mayor Bill de Blasio, told NY1 News.

Adams also attended a tech conference held by Milken Institute Global Conference, but back home New Yorkers worried about the increase in gun violence.

While he was gone, a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found that his approval rating had dropped three points to 43 percent with 54percent of New York City voters saying he’s not doing a great job curbing crime.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk