Riverside Park Sex Attacks On UWS End With 2 Arrests: Police

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Two men have been arrested after three women were sexually assaulted in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side this week, police announced Friday morning.

Jonathan Cortez, 21, and Luc Tatchiem Noubissi, 39, stand accused of attacking women in the 30-block stretch between West 59th and West 89th streets on Tuesday and Thursday, NYPD Chief James Essig said in the press conference.

According to Essig, the two men were not working together.

“These are highly unusual cases," Essig said, "to have two separate stranger attempted rapes in a particular location."

Cortez was linked to two attacks, the first of which saw him groping a woman near West 79th Street about 4:40 p.m. Tuesday then speeding away on a bike, police said.

Hours later, about 10 p.m., Cortez snuck up behind a jogger near West 89th Street, pulled down her shorts then fled on a bike, said police.

The final attack saw Noubissi tackle a woman from behind near West 59th Street about 4 a.m. Thursday, police said.

The brave woman grabbed Noubissi's chain necklace and tried to call 911, but he grabbed her phone and fled, Essig said.

She then turned the necklace over to the cops, Essig said.

Cops on Thursday arrested Noubissi, who admitted he had recently lost his chain and was identified in a lineup by the woman, police said.

Noubissi, who has no prior arrests, now faces charges attempted rape, robbery, sexual abuse, and assault, police said.

Cops tracked down Cortez the same day, they said.

Camera surveillance led investigators to an apartment building, near West 125th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, where they found a bike and sports jersey that matched the two victims's descriptions, police said.

Cortez was identified in a lineup by both women as well as another woman attacked on West 111th Street earlier in the summer, police said.

Cortez was charged with attempted rape, forcible touching, sexual abuse, and assault, police said.

He also had no prior arrests.