DISTRICT ATTORNEY VANCE ANNOUNCES TRIAL CONVICTION OF DARRIN NEMELC FOR RAPING 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL
On Wednesday, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the trial conviction of DARRIN NEMELC, 46, a former New York City police officer, for raping a 14-year-old girl who had run away from home on January 1, 2011. The defendant was found guilty by a jury in Manhattan Supreme Court of all the counts in the indictment, including Rape in the Second Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, and Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree. He is expected to be sentenced on February 27, 2013.
“The defendant preyed upon a 14-year-old girl who was by herself in the middle of the night, cold, and clearly troubled,” said District Attorney Vance. “Instead of calling the police or her family, the defendant took her back to an empty apartment, where he isolated her, manipulated her, and then raped her. The victim was extraordinarily courageous to come forward and tell the jury her traumatic story. I thank the jurors for their service and attention throughout this very difficult trial.”
As proven at trial, shortly after midnight on January 1, 2011, NEMELC approached the victim, who was sitting alone on a bench near Riverside Drive in Washington Heights. The defendant asked the victim if she needed help and took her back to his apartment on Riverside Drive and Broadway. There, NEMELC raped and sexually abused the victim.
Assistant District Attorneys Rena Paul and Penelope Brady handled the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Armand Durastanti, Chief of Trial Bureau 40, Assistant District Attorney, Martha Bashford, Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit, and Executive Assistant District Attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Chief of the Trial Division, and with the assistance of Trial Preparation Assistant Chloe Goodwin.
District Attorney Vance thanked New York City Police Department Detective Michael Rama, Manhattan Special Victims Squad, for his assistance with the case.
Defendant Information:
DARRIN NEMELC, D.O.B., 10/13/1966
New York, NY
Convicted:
• Rape in the Second Degree, a class D felony, 1 count
• Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, a class D felony, 4 counts
• Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor, 2 counts