A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after raping a woman near Prospect Park in 2018, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced on Thursday.
According to the district attorney, 32-year old Mowngly Lucas was given 2o years in prison and 15 years of post-release supervision following a Dec. 2022 conviction on charges including rape, burglary, and robbery.
“Keeping our streets safe from violent sexual predators is a top priority and I am committed to seeking justice for victims of sexual assault. This was a vicious, life-altering attack that profoundly affected the victim and her family,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “It took great courage for her to testify at trial and ensure that this defendant would be held accountable for his actions.”
According to evidence from the investigation, the 59-year old victim was walking on Parkside Avenue near Parade Place at around 5 a.m. on Nov. 18, 2018 when Lucas grabbed her from behind, put her in a chokehold, and told her her he had a gun and knife.
Lucas dragged the woman to a bench across the street from the park, instructed her to lie on the ground and pull down her pants, and proceeded to rape her. He then dragged the victim over to a white commercial van parked on Parkside Avenue and assaulted her again. Lucas put his arm around her neck, impeding her breathing, before breaking a window on the van and demanding to victim to get inside, where he assaulted her a third time.
The defendant then stole money from the her purse and fled the scene. Police say Lucas was living a Queens homeless shelter when he was arrested ten days after the incident, following an investigation. He will have to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.
