LAST OF THREE DEFENDANTS PLEADS GUILTY IN BEATING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT OF BAYSIDE HIGH STUDENT; FACES 13 YEARS IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that the last defendant charged in the October 1999 beating and sexual assault at Bayside High School of a 16-year-old student has pled guilty to sexually attacking the victim and also to subsequently conspiring to kidnap her to prevent her testimony at trial. Two co-defendants in the case previously pled guilty and were sentenced to prison.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Parrish Jones, 20, of 105-16 34th Avenue in East Elmhurst. He pleaded guilty today to two separate indictments charging him with Sodomy in the First Degree, Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Joseph A. Grosso who indicated that he will impose a sentence of 13 years in prison on July 17, 2002.

Two additional defendants in the case -- Elkech Leon, 20, of 89-43 212th Place in Jamaica and Jonathan Mendoza, 20, of 43-55 Kissena Boulevard in Flushing -- previously pleaded guilty to similar charges and were sentenced to 15 years and six years in prison, respectively.

District Attorney Brown said, "Today’s plea of guilty not only ensures the defendant’s conviction of a vicious crime but also protects the victim -- who remains severely traumatized -- from having to face and testify against her attacker at a trial. The crime was shocking and reprehensible and the young woman will carry the physical and emotional scars of her terrible ordeal for the rest of her life."

According to the District Attorney, the defendant admitted that he and two other male students lured the female victim to a high school basement bathroom. One of the other males then beat the young woman and strangled her using Parrish Jones’ belt. When the victim became unconscious, Jones and another male student sodomized the victim before leaving her bound and half-dressed on the bathroom floor. Minutes later a janitor found the victim and police were immediately notified. As a result of cooperative efforts by the New York City Police Department and the Queens District Attorney’s office Special Victims Bureau, all three defendants were arrested several hours later.

While at Riker’s Island following his arrest, the defendant tried to arrange for the victim’s abduction and murder to prevent her from testifying against him at trial. The District Attorney’s office learned of the plot and initiated an investigation in which the defendant conspired to hire a "hit man" who was, in fact, an undercover police officer.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Eric C. Rosenbaum of the District Attorney's Special Victims Bureau was in charge of the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Marjory D. Fisher, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Gregory L. Lasak.