Man Convicted Of Rape In Park Slope Cold Case

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A Brooklyn man has been convicted of raping a 19-year-old girl nearly 20 years ago, a cold case that was solved with the help of DNA evidence, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office said.

The girl had just gotten off the M train at Fourth Avenue-Ninth Street for her first day of work in March of 1998, when 45-year-old Johnny Jacob threatened her with what was believed to be a gun, according to a press release from the district attorney's office.

Jacob led the girl to the back of the station, raped her, and told her he would kill her if she went to the police, the district attorney's office said. The victim, who was not identified, ran to work, and her boss called 9-1-1 to report the rape, the D.A. said.

She was treated at Lutheran Hospital and was administered a rape kit, the office said.

Jacob was arrested in October of 2013 when a DNA hit matched him to the rape kit administered to the victim, the D.A. said. Jacob's DNA had been entered into New York's databank after a money laundering conviction, according to the D.A.'s office.

Jacob faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced next month, according to the D.A.

"Thanks to the DNA evidence collected at the time of this attack the defendant has now been held accountable for this brutal rape," Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in the press release. "This case once again underscores the importance of DNA evidence in proving guilt or innocence. I’d also like to commend the victim for having the courage to testify at trial and bring this defendant to justice."

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