Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Serial Butt Groper Allegedly Touched 5 Women In A Row At Columbus Circle Before Arrest


By

Ben Yakas

Published Dec 5, 2015

Modified Dec 5, 2015


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

joel zimmer's flickr

 


By

Ben Yakas

Published Dec 5, 2015

Modified Dec 5, 2015


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

A serial sex offender was arrested this week after police saw him groping five women in a row at Columbus Circle.

Cops say that suspect Roger Reid, 55, liked to hang out around the 59th Street/Columbus Circle subway station and grope women's butts. On Nov. 27th, he allegedly touched a 20-year-old woman who was sitting on the other side of a bench at the southbound A platform from him, "reaching his hand through a seat and grabbing her buttocks."

That woman was able to get a cell phone photo of the suspect, and thanks to that, cops spotted him back at the station on Friday around 5:20 p.m. They observed him groping five women in a row, all of whom were sitting on benches at the station.

Reid, a Bushwick resident, has been charged with six counts of persistent sexual abuse. Cops add that he is a level 3 sex offender who was out on parole. He has 24 prior arrests, with 14 for sexually-related offenses; that includes an incident in 2010 when he allegedly grabbed the buttocks of a 10-year-old girl waiting for a train at the 72nd Street station.

Tagged

groper

MTA

nypd

police

roger reid

subway

subway groper

subway perv

train


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Gatorade recall affects drinks sold in New York and New Jersey

More than 122,000 cases are being recalled over undeclared food dyes.

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Oct 5, 2026 at 4:36 p.m. ET


Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’

The declaration is driven by rising case counts in rural areas and in neighboring Pennsylvania.

By

Caroline Lewis

News

Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’

The declaration is driven by rising case counts in rural areas and in neighboring Pennsylvania.

By

Caroline Lewis


NYPD detective forced to retire after false statements in Brooklyn investigation

By

Charles Lane

Mamdani faces pressure to forge ahead with plan to fix polluting South Bronx market

By

Elizabeth Kim

Dominican man who shot border patrol officer in NYC sentenced to 15 years in prison

By

Samantha Max


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .