Man with prior rape conviction arrested for sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl in Brooklyn.
In a disturbing incident in Brooklyn, a 27-year-old homeless man, Eric McMichael, has been accused of overpowering and sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in her apartment building. The incident took place at around 5:45 p.m. on Thursday in the Cooper Park Houses, a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) facility located at the intersection of Morgan and Skillman Avenues. McMichael, who was living in a nearby shelter in Greenpoint, allegedly assaulted the girl as she passed him in a stairwell, threatening her before the attack.
This incident marks a troubling continuation of McMichael’s history of violent crime. Six years prior, he was arrested for raping a woman inside her Staten Island home. In that case, which occurred on September 8, 2019, McMichael forced his way into the woman’s residence, assaulted her, and stole her cellphone. He was apprehended six weeks later and subsequently accepted a plea deal in 2021 that resulted in his guilty plea to charges of first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree burglary. His sentencing, which could have included a five-year probation period contingent upon completing a mental health program, was provisionally set for July 2023 but was delayed multiple times. McMichael had been released without bail since pleading guilty in 2021.
Just prior to the recent attack, McMichael was arrested for carjacking a livery cab driver in downtown Brooklyn, resulting in another guilty plea. However, he remained unmonitored due to the plea arrangement from 2021, never having completed the mandated mental health program.
Following the assault on the 12-year-old girl, emergency medical services transported her to a local hospital for treatment. The NYPD’s Special Victims Unit was quick to seek information from the community, releasing surveillance footage to identify McMichael. A resident of the shelter where McMichael had been staying recognized him and provided crucial information to law enforcement.
As a result, McMichael faces several charges, including rape, sexual abuse, burglary, and child endangerment, following his arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court. The mother of the assault victim expressed her anguish, noting that her daughter, a talented dancer and singer, will bear the emotional scars of this trauma.
Recent statistics reveal an alarming trend within New York City, where rapes and sexual assaults have surged by 17% compared to the previous year. The NYPD’s Special Victims Unit is currently investigating 1,720 cases, a concerning increase that has been attributed to legislative changes expanding the legal definition of rape in New York State.
The investigation into McMichael’s actions continues as the community grapples with the implications of this tragic event in East Williamsburg.
