NYU attack suspect charged, linked to burglaries
NYPD arrested James Rizzo, 45, for allegedly assaulting NYU student Amelia Lewis on Monday and says he also assaulted a 68-year-old woman on Thanksgiving; he was taken into custody early Tuesday after being found in an NYU off‑campus building with items tied to multiple burglaries near Washington Square Park. Prosecutors said a tracked laptop led police to a vacant penthouse where Rizzo was allegedly surrounded by stolen goods; he was ordered held without bail and a judge requested a psychological evaluation.
📌 Key Facts
- Suspect: James Rizzo, 45, a Level 2 sex offender with 16 prior arrests
- Charges include forcible touching, persistent sexual abuse, and assault
- Alleged Thanksgiving assault on a 68-year-old in Midtown; Monday attack on an NYU student
- Arrested Tuesday after alleged burglaries totaling about $3,150 in electronics and other items
- ADA Kailey Wilk: tracked laptop led to Rizzo in a vacant penthouse; held without bail
📊 Relevant Data
The average sexual recidivism rate for sex offenders in the US is 9% (range: 8-11%), based on a meta-analysis of 196,651 individuals, after controlling for factors like follow-up periods.
Online Sexual Offending Against Children: Recidivism Rates and Predictors — PMC (citing Lussier et al., 2022)
In fiscal year 2021, 57.5% of federal sexual abuse offenders were White, 16.1% Black, 11.8% Hispanic, and 12.1% Native American, compared to U.S. population percentages of approximately 58% White, 12% Black, 19% Hispanic, and 1% Native American.
Quick Facts on Sexual Abuse Offenses — United States Sentencing Commission
Homelessness upon reentry from prison leads to an 11.7 percentage point increase in the risk of recidivism, representing a 73% increase relative to the baseline rate.
Mental disorders are not considered an isolated, potent risk factor for sexual reoffending among sexual offenders.
The complex link between mental disorders and re‐offending in sexual offenders — Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica