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The victim, an illegal migrant from Paraguay, was blackmailed and tormented by 62-year-old Jose Espinoza.
The convict was sentenced to 22 years in prison. (Representative Image)
A migrant woman in New York City collapsed in court while listening to her victim-impact statement being read out. The woman had suffered years of rape and abuse by a building superintendent who was sentenced to 22 years in prison. The incident took place in Manhattan Supreme Court during his sentencing.
According to the New York Post, the victim, an illegal migrant from Paraguay, was blackmailed and tormented by 62-year-old Jose Espinoza. “Because of this bastard, I’m struggling to continue with my life normally,” she said in her statement which was read by Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Jonathon Junig.
Moments later, her eyes rolled back and she fainted. The courtroom remained tense for nearly ten minutes as people rushed to help her. Once she regained consciousness, she sat in the first row while the prosecutor finished reading her statement.
“For many years, I suffered hell for no reason at all. He destroyed my life and my innocent family,” the woman said in her letter to the judge, urging to show no mercy when sentencing the rapist.
As per the outlet, Espinoza was convicted in December of rape, labour trafficking and other charges. He had met the victim in 2017 and offered her money for sex and cleaning of apartments in the Flatiron building where he worked as the superintendent.
When she tried to end the arrangement a year later, he became violent. Prosecutors said he physically assaulted her, took her passport and tracked her movements. At one point, he demanded naked photos of her special-needs child and threatened to expose them if she spoke out.
“Don’t be fooled by this monster, your Honor. He isn’t a human being. … He likes to make people suffer, and he enjoys it. And I assure you, he will never change,” the victim said in her statement.
Espinoza’s crimes went on for six years. He forced the woman to live with his wife and one of his daughters so that he could have full control over her. The abuse only came to light when the victim was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and told a social worker at Bellevue Hospital about her years of abuse. Espinoza was arrested in December 2023.
In court, Espinoza denied being a rapist but admitted to making “very bad, terrible mistakes.” His wife and family supported him but the judge dismissed their defense. “Good family men do not cheat on their wives, enslave other women, install them in their homes where they can exercise ultimate control over them, and rape them,” the judge said.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
