Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced the indictment of Ryan Hemphill, an attorney, on charges involving the alleged predatory sexual assault of six women, as reported by the Manhattan D.A.'s Office. Hemphill, 43, is facing an 116-count indictment that includes 24 charges of Predatory Sexual Assault, various counts of Rape in the First and Third Degrees, Assault in the Second Degree, and other serious offenses.
The indictment alleges a series of harrowing assaults between October 2024 and March 2025 in Hemphill's Midtown apartment. "We allege that Ryan Hemphill raped and violently assaulted six different women in his apartment in just five months," said District Attorney Bragg, his claims casting a grim shadow over the conduct of a legal professional entrusted with upholding the law. Hemphill is also charged with Facilitating a Sex Offense with a Controlled Substance, Bribing a Witness, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and Certain Ammunition Feeding Devices. The D.A.'s statement emphasized the ongoing nature of the investigation, encouraging any additional survivors to come forward and seek support.
A detailed look at the indictment uncovers a calculated pattern of abuse. Hemphill's alleged actions were not just assaultive but torturous - involving the use of a cattle prod and a shock collar, alongside threats of further violence with guns and knives. According to statements made on the record in court and cited by the Manhattan D.A.'s Office, one victim was shackled to Hemphill's bed for an extended period, pleading for release.
In addition to physical torment, Hemphill's control seemingly extended into the digital space, where he is accused of threatening the victims over text messages to prevent them from reporting the crimes. These alleged threats included claims of having connections to both law enforcement and organized crime circles; this leveraging of perceived power highlights the manipulative extent of Hemphill's strategies to silence these women. He also allegedly forced victims to record videos consenting to acts of rape and torture, using these as a means to discredit any potential accusations against him.
The indictment follows a thorough investigation by the D.A.'s Special Victims Division, which led to the arrest of Hemphill on March 1. Searches conducted at Hemphill's apartment yielded disturbing evidence: high-capacity magazines and hundreds of bullets, a plethora of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and fentanyl, and numerous surveillance cameras with recorded footage of the abuse. NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch commended the detectives and officials involved in bringing forth the indictment, stating, "This kind of predatory abuse has no place in our city and will be met with the full force of the law."
Assistant D.A. Mirah Curzer is leading the prosecution, supported by the Human Trafficking Unit and Special Victims Division. District Attorney Bragg expressed his gratitude towards all the law enforcement personnel and emphasized their commitment to justice. The Special Victims Division can be reached at 212-335-3400 by anyone with additional information or seeking support in the wake of these allegations.
