Police Hunting Suspect in Rape of Teen in Stuyvesant Town Elevator

Police are looking for 33-year-old male for sexually assaulting and violently raping 14-year-old girl in the lobby and elevator in the Stuyvesant Town complex during the late morning of Jan. 29.

One source said the suspect, subsequently identified by police as 33-year-old Germaine Parham, ordered the girl to “remove her clothes,” Police said he raped the teen and then fled with her iPhone. Police initially said only that the suspect “verbally threatened” the victim before fleeing with her mobile phone. As more info became available, police released a Crime Stopper photo of Parham who is wanted for the rape and sexual assault of the teen and said he had also committed previous crimes but they were not disclosed.

The victim was rushed to a local hospital.

Police said Parham was last seen wearing a black and gray knitted hat, gray face covering, white coat, camouflage pants, black boots and wearing a camouflage backpack.

There seemed to be confusion as to the exact address in the sprawling complex on the East Side of Manhattan. The management of Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village sent a text to residents of the building where that attack occurred around 1:40 p.m. two hours after the attack. At that time, management only informed the residents that the M [mezzanine] level, one of the two exits/entrances to the building that contains about 90 apartment units, was closed due to “police activity in your building.” It offered no further details.

When Our Town reached out to the NYPD press office on the day of the attack, we were told the incident happened at 276 First Ave. and that police responded after receiving a 911 call at 11:42 a.m. But there was no police activity nor yellow crime scene tape at that address, according to a resident of the complex and it later was determined by Our Town that that the assault happened two buildings away in a different building in the complex. The exact address is not being disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the victim.

”M level is currently closed due to police activity in your building,” said the text from the management of Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village to residents living in the building on First Ave. near 18th St. on Jan. 29. “Please use T [terrace] level until further notice. We will let you know when M level reopens. We appreciate your cooperation.”

Another resident confirmed it was the M level of a different one than the address initially supplied by police that had the yellow crime scene tape on its outside steps.

The NYPD said the incident happened in the “elevator/lobby area” and the investigation is “ongoing.”

At 6:02 p.m. following the broad daylight attack, management sent a second text to residents of the First Ave. again without disclosing the nature of the attack or that the suspect was still on the loose. “Thank you for your patience and cooperation, the Main level has been cleared and reopened.”

The violent attack is being investigated by the 13th Pct.

Susan Steinberg, president of the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association, sent an email blast to members on Jan. 31 shortly after the full details were revealed. She was critical of the slow response by management. The investment firm Blackstone Group owns ST/PCV and it has its own security force patrolling the premises. The 80-acre complex is normally considered one of the safest neighborhoods in Manhattan.

Said Steinberg of the tardy response by management: “They are very careful and work with the police and they are cognizant of the need for privacy [for the victim]. But this is something that really has to be addressed to the community.”

The tenants association sent out their own notice to the community in an early afternoon e-mail blast on Jan. 31.

She noted management was preparing to release a statement on Saturday afternoon, more than two full days after the incident.

At around 3:11 p.m. on Jan. 31, two days after the attack, Jeffrey Sanders, VP of Residential Experience for Beam Living, which manages the compound for Blackrock, released a statement that noted a “criminal incident occurred in our community. We are deeply saddened and our thoughts are with the affected individuals. Please know we are fully cooperating with NYPD’s ongoing investigation into the incident and are working to support the affected residents.”

It urged anyone with information to call police. “If you see a crime or suspicious activity or need emergency services, first call 911 immediately and the contact public safety at 212-598-5233.”

Anyone with any information on Parham’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish dial 888-57-PISTA) Tips can also be sent online to crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X @NYPDtips. All calls and messages will be kept confidential.