What to know
- A Yonkers man pleaded guilty to committing a violent hate crime in connection with an attack in which he punched a 67-year-old Asian woman more than 100 times, repeatedly stepping on her upper body while casting racial epithets. against the woman. prosecutors say.
- Tammel Esco, 42, pleaded guilty to first degree assault as a hate crime, a violent crime. According to his guilty plea, Esco will be sentenced on November 29 to 17 and a half years in the state prison, with five years of post-release supervision.
- Esco was arrested shortly after the March 11 attack on the woman who entered the lobby of her apartment building on Riverdale Avenue that night.
—
NEW YORK – A Yonkers man pleaded guilty to committing a violent hate crime in connection with an attack in which he punched a 67-year-old Asian woman more than 100 times, repeatedly stepping on her upper body while casting epithets. prosecutors say.
Tammel Esco, 42, pleaded guilty to first degree assault as a hate crime, a violent crime. According to his guilty plea, Esco will be sentenced on November 29 to 17 and a half years in the state prison, with five years of post-release supervision.
Esco was arrested by the Yonkers Police Department in March and has been detained without bond ever since.
Esco was arrested shortly after the March 11 attack on the woman who entered the lobby of her apartment building on Riverdale Avenue that night.
Hard-to-see surveillance footage previously released by police shows a man punching the defenseless woman, about 125 in all, leaving her bloodied on the ground.
The victim, who is Filipino, suffered a brain hemorrhage, multiple facial fractures, bruises and lacerations to the head and face in an attack that the Yonkers police commissioner described as one of the most horrific attacks he has ever seen.
According to the investigation, the victim simply walked past Esco on his way home and allegedly yelled an insult at him. She ignored him.
As she moved to open the second door to enter the lobby, she was punched in the head from behind and knocked to the ground, then hit dozens more times with alternating punches. The man then steps on her seven times and spits on her, police say.
A witness said he called emergency services when he saw Esco punch the woman while he was on top of her, and that witness’s interference may be the only reason the victim is still alive.
“I started knocking on the door and when I did it got his attention, and that’s when he came down,” said Yvette Crespo. “He walked out that door, he went to the corner, raised his hands,” and roared, she said.
Esco lived in the same building as the victim. Police said he has a criminal record and was previously convicted of assault.
“Today’s agreement guarantees justice for the brave victim who suffered the shocking attack and its aftermath, and for a community affected by the trauma of this hate-fueled violence,” said Westchester County District Attorney Miriam. Rocah.
If you are a victim or witness to a hate crime or injury incident, call the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office at (914) 995-TIPS.
–
