Police Arrest Man Suspected In 3 Sex Attacks

Police arrested a man who allegedly robbed and sexually attacked three women in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one while he wore a "devil" mask, authorities said.

Yesterday's arrest of Gerard Mitchell, 29, on charges of first-degree rape and robbery came the day after police released a sketch of the suspect. Police officials said Mr. Mitchell, an East Williamsburg resident, has no prior arrests.

The assailant allegedly approached the women from behind, said he had a gun or displayed a knife, demanded money, and forced them into secluded areas, police said. The three alleged crimes occurred between October and this week.

On Wednesday at about 6:30 a.m. a 38-year-old woman was en route to work and in close proximity to the Williamsburg Houses housing development when the suspect, wearing a "devil" mask, attacked her, police officials said. He asked for her money and said he had a gun before sexually assaulting her in a secluded area, police said. She did not give him any money.

The first crime was on October 8 at 5:30 a.m., near the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, law enforcement sources said. A 22-year-old woman was on her way home when the suspect demanded her cash, claimed he possessed a firearm, and escorted her to a secluded area, where he sexually assaulted her, police said.

On October 29 at 6:30 a.m., a 29-year-old woman was walking to work when the suspect grabbed her neck while flashing a knife, police said. He forced her into a building where he allegedly raped her.

A former chief prosecutor in the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan district attorney's office, Linda Fairstein, said the modus operandi sounded typical.

"Many, many, many sexual assaults start as a robbery," Ms. Fairstein told The New York Sun via telephone during a book tour for her latest novel, "Death Dance."

That the crimes all occurred within a particular area "usually means that's where he lives or works or is very comfortable," Ms. Fairstein said.

Wearing a mask, however, is "a relatively infrequent thing, unlike in the movies," she said.