A Bronx man was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison with 20 years post-release supervision for repeatedly sexually assaulting a woman onboard a northbound A train traveling through Brooklyn in 2021, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu, 32-year-old Dashawn Lewis was previously convicted of first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree criminal sexual act, third-degree robbery, forcible touching, and theft of services on March 16 after jury trial.
“This defendant violently and brutally attacked an innocent woman on the subway, and thanks to the victim’s brave testimony he will be held accountable,” said Gonzalez. “Protecting our communities from sexual assault is a top priority for my office and I commend the NYPD for their outstanding work apprehending the defendant within hours of this attack.”
At approximately 3:20 a.m, August 11, 2021, the 24-year-old victim was waiting for the subway at the Liberty Avenue station in East New York when Lewis approached and began speaking to her, according to the DA’s investigation.
After ignoring Lewis, the woman got up to board the train when he touched her buttocks, boarded the train, started yelling at her in front of two other passengers before moving into a different car.
According to prosecutors, the woman called a friend, upset about the incident, but they got disconnected.
The two other passengers got off the train at the next stop and Lewis came back into the car. According to the DA’s office he said to her “Don’t make me mess up your pretty face,” before forcing her to perform a sex act while he filmed it.
He then raped her and again forced her to perform a sex act, took her identification and left the train.
The woman’s friend had called 911 after the call dropped and was waiting at the next station with police. The victim was then taken to a hospital, where a sexual assault kit was prepared.
Offices recognized Lewis as fitting the description of the suspect in the sexual assault later that morning when he was arrested for farebeating at approximately 5:45 a.m. at a nearby train station.
Lewis’ DNA was a match to the sexual assault kit and further evidence of the attack was found on his phone, prosecutors said. Upon his release from prison, Lewis must register as a sex offender.
