Prisoner allegedly sexually assaulted transgender inmate at Rikers Island
BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – An inmate at Rikers Island has been charged with allegedly attacking a transgender inmate inside her jail cell, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced on Friday.
The inmate allegedly threatened the transgender inmate with a makeshift ice pick in exchange for sexual acts.
“Sexual violence against any person in jail will be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” Clark said in a statement. “[The assailant] allegedly wielding a sharp weapon, gave the victim a deranged choice—be stabbed or sexually assaulted.”
According to an investigation, on May 12, 2022, the defendant attacked the transgender inmate in her cell at the Anna M. Kross Center detention facility. The defendant, 34-year-old Kelvin Williams, was allegedly captured on surveillance footage walking back and forth in front of the victim’s cell. He then reportedly made a makeshift ice pick and gave the victim a choice to be stabbed or sexually assaulted, court records show.
Williams is facing the following charges:
- Predatory sexual assault
- First-degree criminal sexual act
- First-degree sexual abuse
- Third-degree criminal sexual act
- Sexual misconduct
- Forcible touching
- Fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon
- Third-degree assault
- Third-degree Sexual Abuse
The defendant is due back in court in September.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.