A 30-year-old male suspect, allegedly responsible for a series of sexual assaults against three women in Central Park, New York, over the course of five years, was apprehended in Miami Beach, according to law enforcement officials.
Dereck Rivera-Deleon was apprehended on Tuesday near a Burger King on Washington Avenue, where he had been employed for approximately two weeks prior to his arrest, according to the Miami Beach Police Department.
A Bronx native, Rivera-Deleon, is facing allegations of committing separate rapes against three women in Central Park. The incidents reportedly took place in July 2021, October 2023, and most recently on October 24, 2026.
A 39-year-old woman was allegedly dragged into a park by Rivera-Deleon, who was armed with a knife, near the intersection of 66 East Street and Fifth Avenue, prior to being subjected to a sexual assault.
Investigations suggest that Rivera-Deleon was not acquainted with the three women involved, despite DNA evidence and victim testimony establishing a connection to the alleged incidents.
A 30-year-old man, Dereck Rivera-Deleon, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals and the New York City Police Department in Miami, Florida, where he was employed at a Burger King. The arrest is linked to a series of alleged crimes committed in New York's Central Park, where Rivera-Deleon is accused of raping three women.
Allegations suggest that Rivera-Deleon traveled south of Florida after the October 24 attack, where she secured employment at a Burger King restaurant.
A joint investigation conducted by the Miami Beach police, U.S. Customs Service, and New York City Police Department resulted in the identification of Rivera-Deleon, who was subsequently apprehended outside a restaurant on Monday.
Miami Beach police officials stated that the department's detectives, in collaboration with federal agencies, expedited the search efforts to identify the suspect.
A suspect with a history of extreme violence was apprehended, having fled New York. The swift action of local detectives and federal authorities may have prevented another rape, according to Bess.
The apprehension has provided a sense of relief to regular visitors of Central Park.
A park visitor expressed concern, stating that learning about the alleged assault was deeply unsettling, particularly given the park's high volume of visitors.
Miami Beach police have issued a stern warning to perpetrators of violent crimes, emphasizing their commitment to identifying, locating, and apprehending those responsible. In a related development, Burger King has confirmed that the individual involved, Rivera-Deleon, was a recent employee, having worked for the company for less than two weeks before being let go.
