March 29, 1999

"SILVER GUN RAPIST" SENTENCED TO 225 YEARS TO LIFE FOR A SERIES OF SEVEN ROBBERIES AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a Queens man, known as the "Silver Gun Rapist", was sentenced to 225 years to life in prison for a series of seven robberies, three of which included sexual assaults, that occurred over a seven week period during the summer of 1996 in St. Albans, Springfield Gardens and Cambria Heights.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Tyrone Rolle, who is also known as Tyrone Spain, 28, of 115-19 170th St. He was convicted of robbing or attempting to rob four individuals and with robbing and sexually assaulting an additional three. All but one of his victims were women and ranged in age from 17 to 43. He was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Robert C. Kohm, who presided at his two week trial in February. He is already serving 25 years to life in prison as a result of an October 1997 conviction for conspiring to murder one of his victims.

District Attorney Brown said, "The crimes for which the defendant has been convicted caused tremendous fear in southeastern Queens during the summer of 1996. Women became prisoners in their homes and were in constant fear of the most violent, degrading and humiliating violation that any woman could imagine. For some their worst nightmare became a reality. Today's sentence means that the defendant will never again be free to inflict his particular brand of terror on the people of Queens.

According to the District Attorney, the defendant would approach his victims late at night on the street, display a silver handgun and demand their money and jewelry. In three instances he sexually attacked his victims.

Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano of District Attorney Brown's Special Victims Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Marjory D. Fisher and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Gregory L. Lasak, prosecuted the case.

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