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Elderly UES Sexual Assault Suspect Is Registered Sex Offender
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 3, 2011
Modified Jun 3, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 3, 2011
Modified Jun 3, 2011
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Yesterday, police arrested Jeffrey Ritter in connection with the sexual assault of an 85-year-old Upper East Side woman from earlier this week. The News spoke with Ritter's twin brother Jeremy, who gave them a peek into his brother's screwed up life. Suffice to say, he didn't sound too sympathetic to his brother's current predicament: "I tried to help you and you chose the wrong path. It hurts me to see you locked up. But from me to you, heart to heart, you have issues and you need help."
Ritter said that his brother, who has been charged with criminal sexual acts, robbery and sexual abuse, has had a life of crime and drug use. He served three years in prison in the late 90s for aggravated robbery in Minnesota, and he served four years in prison for robbing and threatening to rape and kill a 23-year-old woman in Arizona. Throughout all these ordeals, he said he tried to help his brother, housed him, encouraged him to stop using and selling drugs, and get out of his gangs (they had both joined the Latin Kings when they were younger).
The heavily-tattooed Ritter, who has a Yankees logo under his left eye, followed his brother to Arkansas after he was released from prison—but when he failed to properly register as a sex offender, he was given six years in prison in 2004. When he got out, he came to NYC. Authorities are now pointing to Ritter as an example of why communication between states is critical in keeping track of sex offenders. His brother Jeremy is just sick of trying to help: "I've done everything to help him out. I gave him a place to live. I fed him. I let him use my clothes. I was a good brother to him, and he ended up screwing me."
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attempted rape
jeffrey ritter
sex offender
sexual assault
ues
upper east side
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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