Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. has confirmed the sentencing of Keanu Martinez to 40 years-to-life in state prison for his grave assault crimes. Convicted for predatory sexual assault, rape, and kidnapping, Martinez's victims, a 30-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl, testified to his violent acts. The attacks happened on separate occasions in April 2024, each instigated by Martinez’s threats with a boxcutter.
As detailed by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Martinez met his first victim outside her Harlem residence. Suffering from schizophrenia, the woman experienced frequent hallucinations—a susceptibility Martinez exploited. After locking the victim in his bedroom and demanding sex, he brutally assaulted her, culminating in rape upon threatening her with an absent boxcutter.
About four days following this incident, Martinez encountered his second victim, a teenager on a bus, leading to over 300 calls and texts from him over two weeks. When she visited his apartment on April 30, 2024, an attempt to leave enraged Martinez, who then used his dogs and a boxcutter to intimidate her. He repeatedly raped her throughout the night. Escaping after Martinez's roommate intervened, the teen reported her ordeal.
Linking evidence from both cases, the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad arrested Martinez in his building's hallway. District Attorney Bragg commended the squad for its work on the case, specifically recognizing Officer Christian Spina and Detective Lytzaria Lopez. The prosecution was led by Assistant District Attorneys Christina Kapalko and Lauren Brotherton, with support from several chief assistants and directors. Bragg also praised their efforts in ensuring accountability for the crimes committed.
