A man from Georgia has been arrested this week nearly 30 years after he was allegedly involved in the home invasions and brutal rapes of five women in Queens — with some incidents occurring at gunpoint or while children were present, authorities reported.
Michael Benjamin, 57, was taken into custody Thursday morning when DNA from a discarded cup linked him to a series of “violent” rapes in southeast Queens that occurred between 1995 and 1997, according to prosecutors and police officials.
Benjamin was first arrested on September 22 in Conyers, Georgia, where he resides. Investigators had retrieved his DNA from a cup he left at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s office, which matched the evidence from the separate rape cases, as confirmed by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
He was extradited to New York on Wednesday and is facing charges including first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree burglary, according to prosecutors.
In July 1995, Benjamin allegedly broke into a 24-year-old woman’s home near 113th Road and 194th Street in St. Albans, covering her head with a sheet while he assaulted her, as stated by law enforcement sources.
He reportedly stole cash and jewelry from her home before fleeing the scene, prosecutors added.
Approximately a year later, in August 1996, he allegedly forced his way into a house on 140th Avenue and South Conduit Avenue around 2 a.m. and covered a 27-year-old woman’s head with a jacket before assaulting her, sources reported.
He allegedly moved from room to room, stealing items from the residence while intimidating the victim to look away, sources mentioned.
The third incident occurred in September 1996 when Benjamin allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old woman as she was walking home near 131st Street and Hook Creek Boulevard.
He is accused of grabbing her and forcing her into her home at gunpoint, where he turned off the lights and assaulted her while threatening to kill her husband and child, who were also inside the home during the assault, according to law enforcement.
In February 1997, he allegedly assaulted two women, aged 21 and 33, after breaking into a backyard near 241st Street and 136th Avenue while armed, authorities reported.
Benjamin reportedly consumed food and beverages from their home before stealing cash and jewelry, according to prosecutors and sources.
As Benjamin was escorted to court from a Bronx precinct, he vehemently proclaimed his innocence, stating, “I didn’t do this. I didn’t do none of this. What victims? I didn’t do nothing. I didn’t do this. What y’all talking about?”
Sources indicated that Benjamin moved to Georgia following the incidents.
In 2002, he was pre-indicted as a John Doe for the five rapes, which effectively halted the statute of limitations from expiring, sources added.
The defendant’s attorney, Joseph Amsel, argued that the pre-indictment counters the statute of limitations.
“It would seem that most of this conduct — if not all of it — is well outside the applicable statute of limitations, which is in place for a reason since it is fundamentally unfair to force someone to defend against allegations from 30 years ago,” Amsel stated.
“He vehemently denies the accusations, and he is looking forward to his day in court,” he continued.
Having been previously convicted for attempted rape in July 1990, Benjamin is already a level 3 sex offender, as indicated in public records, and received five years of probation for that case.
He was ordered to be held without bail during his arraignment on Thursday, facing a 17-count indictment in Queens Criminal Court, as stated by authorities.
“After several decades, this defendant will finally confront charges of violently raping at least five women, some at gunpoint, in southeast Queens between 1995 and 1997,” said Katz in a statement.
“Even though many years have passed, these cold cases have not been forgotten. Thanks to the courage of the victims, crucial DNA evidence was collected, which aided law enforcement in identifying the perpetrator. It is never too late for justice, and I commend my prosecutors and the detectives for their efforts in this case.”
If convicted on the most serious charges, Benjamin could face up to 25 years in prison.
He is scheduled to return to court on December 5.
