The NYPD had asked for the public’s help identifying the person seen in the attached video who they said was wanted for questioning in connection with a sexual abuse incident that occurred in the vicinity of Mace Avenue and Gunther Avenue in the Pelham Gardens section of The Bronx on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. Video courtesy of the NYPD

The NYPD said they have made an arrest after asking for the public’s help identifying the person seen in the attached video who they said had been sought for questioning in connection with a sexual abuse incident that occurred in the Pelham Gardens section of The Bronx.

 

Police said that on Friday, Oct. 25, at around 4.13 p.m., a 10-year-old female victim was in the vicinity of Mace Avenue and Gunther Avenue, when an unidentified individual approached her and touched her private area with his hand. “The unknown individual fled on Gun Hill Road towards Allerton Avenue,” a police spokesperson said. “The victim did not sustain any physical injuries as a result of this incident.”

 

Police said the suspect was described as male, had a light complexion, and was last seen wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt, a gray T-shirt and blue jeans.

 

On Friday, Nov. 1, they said Raymond Fernandez, 42, of Co-op City was arrested. He has been charged with one count of sex abuse in the first degree for contact with a person under the age of 11, one count of sex abuse of a victim under the age of 13., one count of acting in a manner injurous to a child under the age of 17, and one count of sex abuse in the second degree of a person under the age of 14.

 

Rodriguez is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.