A Bronx man faces serious charges after being indicted for the rape of a 15-year-old girl in a Co-Op City building stairwell. The Bronx District Attorney's Office announced the indictment of Casmine Aska, 29, on counts including Predatory Sexual Assault Against A Child and first-degree Rape. According to official statements, the assault occurred on February 27, and Aska was arraigned on Tuesday, before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Busching.
In the indictment, prosecutors detail that the incident took place around 8:20 p.m. when Aska and the victim were inside an elevator in an apartment building. The elevator's surveillance camera captured Aska punching the teenage girl in the face, causing her to fall. After the doors opened, Aska allegedly displayed a knife and forced the victim into a stairwell, where the rape occurred. District Attorney Darcel D. Clark described the crime as a "nightmare" for the young victim, whom he overpowered with physical violence and the threat of a knife. Aska is currently remanded, with a court date set for September 9, as reported by The Bronx DA's Office.
Upon receiving medical care at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, the victim was treated and released. NYPD Detective Ernesto Castillo of the Bronx Special Victims Unit, along with the District Attorney's Office, worked the investigation which led to Aska's arrest the day after the crime. The team, including Major Case Assistant Victoria Nunez and several bureau chiefs, credit video technicians and trial preparation assistants for their contributions to the case.
