Roosevelt man arrested, charged with Freeport rape, police say

A Roosevelt man was arrested Friday in connection with the rape of a woman in Freeport last month that Nassau County’s top prosecutor called “one of the most brutal” she’s ever seen, authorities said.

Ever L. Martinez-Reyes, 24, an El Salvadoran immigrant who officials said is in the United States illegally, is accused of following a 36-year-old woman and knocking her unconscious before sexually assaulting her on the front lawn of a Parsons Avenue home, police said. She woke up during the assault and Martinez-Reyes ran off.

Martinez-Reyes is charged with two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree assault, Nassau County police said. He was held without bail at his arraignment Saturday in First District Court in Hempstead, the district attorney’s office said.

“We spent some uneasy days and nights knowing this predator was out there and walking amongst us,” Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and this is one of the most brutal rapes I’ve ever seen and I’m grateful he’s now behind bars.”

The attack — which occurred near Northeast Park about 1:45 a.m. on Sept. 28 — was captured in video surveillance footage. Detectives on Thursday released a video and still images of a suspect. Authorities said they received numerous tips pointing to Martinez-Reyes, who police said did not know the victim.  

“He followed her until he felt comfortable enough to assault her,” Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. “When he assaulted her and knocked her out, he then proceeded to rape her. She woke up and he knocked her out again and viciously continued to assault her.”

The woman is recovering from internal injuries, Ryder said. Martinez-Reyes was unknown to police and had no prior convictions, but had been living in Roosevelt illegally as a day laborer since 2014, he said.

Authorities received a tip this week that he would flee to El Salvador, Ryder said. He gave no further details.

Martinez-Reyes first came to the country in 2010 at 16 after crossing the border in Texas, Ryder said. He was sent back and crossed the border again illegally in 2014. He has no known gang affiliations.

Martinez-Reyes faces up to 25 years in prison, Singas said, and special victims prosecutors will work to make sure he serves a maximum sentence “so justice is done in this case.”

“If you are a sexual predator in Nassau County, get some therapy or get out of Nassau County,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said. “If you prey on our vulnerable people here, we will find you, we will arrest you and prosecute you.”

Martinez-Reyes was represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, the district attorney’s office said.

Detectives urged anyone with information to call the Special Victims Squad at 516-573-4022 or 911. All callers will remain anonymous.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.com,stefanie.dazio@newsday.comJohnAsbury,

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.