Defendant: Thomas Jessamy (DOB 11/29/59)
Oct. 29, 2018 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced that a jury found Thomas Jessamy of Mount Vernon guilty of attempted rape and other charges Friday (Oct. 26) following a trial before Westchester County Court Judge Susan Cacace.
Specifically, Jessamy was found guilty of the following:
- Attempted Rape in the First Degree, a class C felony
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony
- Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree, a class E felony
- Assault in the Third Degree, a misdemeanor
Jessamy was remanded into custody. He faces a maximum of 15 years in state prison when he will be sentenced Dec. 18, 2018.
Background
On June 21, 2017, between 5:30 and 9:50 p.m. Thomas Jessamy committed a series of crimes against his victim in his home on South Tenth Avenue, Mount Vernon. He invited the victim, a woman previously known to him, to his apartment, where he assaulted her, demanded she remove her clothes, and attempted to rape her. He repeated his attempts and beatings over the course of four hours of her captivity despite her protests.
The victim was able to call police on her cell phone twice while in the apartment bathroom but was unable to give police an address. When Jessamy let her go, just before 10 p.m., the victim walked to a nearby church where she called police again. From there, the victim was taken to Westchester County Medical Center where she was treated for head trauma, a fractured rib, and other injuries.
Following the conviction, DA Scarpino praised the work of the Sex Crimes Unit for pursuing the defendant and building a strong case. “Due to the emotional and challenging nature of this type of violent crime, it is not always easy to prosecute, but through the dedication and hard work of ADA Michelle Lopez, Chief of our Sex Crimes Bureau, and her colleagues, we were able to get justice for the victim of this heinous crime and reestablish her faith in the system.”
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lopez, Chief of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Sex Crimes Bureau.
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In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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