An early morning run along the East River turned into a sexual assault investigation when a 34-year-old woman was groped near East 106th Street and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive in Manhattan on July 16, police said. According to authorities, a man approached her from behind at about 6:30 a.m. and forcibly grabbed her between the legs. The suspect has not been identified and no arrest has been announced.
According to NYPD Crime Stoppers, the unit shared a "WANTED FOR FORCIBLE TOUCHING" alert on July 23 that includes a still image of the suspect and basic incident details. The post asks anyone with information to message @NYPDTips or contact the department's anonymous tip line.
How police want tips
Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or to send a direct message to @NYPDTips. The city's Crime Stoppers program notes that rewards of up to $3,500 are available for tips that lead to an arrest and indictment in qualifying cases, according to the program page.
How forcible touching is charged
New York Penal Law §130.52 defines forcible touching as intentionally touching another person's sexual or intimate parts for the purpose of degrading that person or for sexual gratification, and it applies to conduct on public streets as well as in transit settings. Legal resources such as RAINN note that the offense is typically charged as a Class A misdemeanor, which can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail.
Context and next steps
Crime Stoppers bulletins seeking public help in groping investigations have appeared across the city this summer, and coverage has tracked several similar alerts in recent weeks. Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident or captured photos or video near East 106th Street around the time of the assault to contact Crime Stoppers so investigators can follow up.
