Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. disclosed the indictment of Agustin Diaz, 53, for a series of sexual assaults targeting recent Spanish-speaking female immigrants under the guise of providing job opportunities, according to a statement from the District Attorney’s Office. Diaz faces accusations of first-degree rape, sex abuse, and stalking, according to the New York State Supreme Court indictment.
“He allegedly lured them to isolated locations with promises of work, only to sexually assault them in a pattern he repeated with at least four survivors,” remarked District Attorney Bragg, according to court statements and documents; Diaz approached the victims on public transportation, presenting himself as an employer in desperate need of cleaners, and perpetrated the assaults alone. On May 10, 2018, Diaz allegedly raped a woman twice in an empty office space, pretending to offer her a cleaning job at a dental office. Later on Pearl Street, Diaz lured women to a basement storage room, instructing them to pack bags with candy and snacks before the assaults took place.
The ongoing investigation has shown a pattern in which Diaz used physical intimidation and deportation threats to quiet his victims. The Survivor Services Bureau Advocates and Counselors provide victim services, emphasizing the significance of assistance for survivors of such horrible crimes. Candace White and Julia Hooks, assistant district attorneys, are leading the prosecution under the supervision of higher-ranking authorities in the IPSV Bureau and Special Victims Division, with assistance from investigative analyst Rory Fleming and the specialized Investigations Bureau.
Authorities are urging survivors of these assaults or anyone with relevant information to contact them; the D.A.’s office has set up a hotline for this purpose at 212-335-9793 in the hopes that others who have suffered similar experiences at the hands of Diaz will come forward, allowing for a more thorough understanding of the extent of his alleged predation.
