NEW YORK — A Georgia man was extradited to New York to face accusations of raping five women in southeast Queens during the 1990s.
Michael Benjamin, of Conyers, was arraigned on a 17-count indictment and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Benjamin was apprehended on Sept. 22 by local law enforcement in Georgia and extradited to New York on Oct. 15.
Supreme Court Justice Gia Morris remanded Benjamin and ordered him to return to court on Dec. 5.
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Channel 2 Action News reported when a discarded coffee cup at a sheriff’s office connected the Conyers man to a series of sexual assaults in New York.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Benjamin, 57, was charged with multiple counts of rape, sodomy, sexual assault, and burglary for crimes committed between 1995 and 1997.
The charges stem from incidents in the neighborhoods of Jamaica, St. Albans, Laurelton, and Brookville, where Benjamin allegedly raped five women, some at gunpoint.
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“After several decades, this defendant will finally face charges of violently raping at least five women, some at gunpoint, between the years 1995 and 1997 in southeast Queens,” District Attorney Katz said in a statement. “Although decades have passed, these cold cases were not forgotten. Thanks to the bravery of the victims, vital DNA evidence was gathered, which helped law enforcement identify the person responsible.”
Benjamin was originally indicted in 2005 as an unidentified John Doe based on evidence collected at the time of the crimes, according to the DA’s office.
In May 2024, DNA from a discarded cup used by Benjamin matched DNA retrieved from the victims, leading to his identification as a suspect, the DA’s office said.
The indictment includes five counts of rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, four counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, three counts of burglary in the first degree, two counts of burglary in the second degree, and two counts of robbery in the first degree.
The incidents charged in the indictment involve the following allegations:
- On July 24, 1995, Benjamin is accused of breaking into the home of victim #1, tied her up, raped her, and fled with cash and jewelry.
- On August 24, 1996, Benjamin is accused of breaking into the home of victim #2 and raped her.
- On September 16, 1996, Benjamin is accused of forcing victim #3 into her house at gunpoint, raped her, and fled with cash.
- On February 8, 1997, he is accused of breaking into the home of victims #4 and #5, raping them at gunpoint, and fled with cash and jewelry.
District Attorney Katz said DNA evidence was vital to identifying Benjamin as a suspect, saying " It is never too late for justice, and I thank my prosecutors and the detectives for their work on this case.”
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