BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that Dashawn Lewis, 32, of the Bronx, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison and 20 years of post-release supervision for the brutal sexual assault of a 24-year-old woman onboard a northbound A train in the early morning hours of August 11, 2021. Lewis was convicted of first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree criminal sexual act, third-degree robbery, forcible touching, and theft of services. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
According to evidence presented during the trial, the victim was waiting for the subway at the Liberty Avenue station in East New York when Lewis approached her and initiated unwanted conversation. Despite being ignored, Lewis touched the woman’s buttocks as she boarded the train. He then proceeded to yell at her in front of other passengers before moving to a different car.
As the two other passengers exited the train at the next stop, the victim called her friend on FaceTime, but the call dropped. Lewis returned to the victim’s car, threatened her, and forced her to perform a sex act while filming it. He then raped her, forced her to perform another sex act, stole her identification, and left the train.
The victim’s friend had called 911 after the FaceTime call dropped, and police met the victim at the next subway stop. She was taken to a hospital, where a sexual assault kit was prepared.
Lewis was arrested nearby for fare evasion at approximately 5:45 a.m. and was subsequently charged after his DNA matched the evidence from the sexual assault kit, and further evidence of the attack was found on his phone.