By Jeremy Walsh
A Corona man pleaded guilty to raping two women over three months between 2007 and 2008, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Friday.
Robinson Fana, 22, admitted to rape and criminal sexual activity in Queens Criminal Court. He is expected to be sentenced by Judge Gregory Lasak to 23 years in prison at his next court date Feb. 24.
“The defendant subjected his two victims to violent and terrifying sexual attacks, during which he used excessive force and hit them numerous times in the face — breaking the noses of both victims,” Brown said in a statement. “Today’s plea will spare both women from having to testify at trial and the pain of having to relive their nightmares. The defendant is an obvious threat to society and hopefully his victims can now move on with their lives, armed with the knowledge that their attacker will be spending the next two decades behind bars.”
The first attack occurred early in the morning of Oct. 20, 2007. Fana followed a 46-year-old woman from a restaurant and assaulted her at the intersection of 114th Street and 38th Avenue before dragging her into an abandoned basement, the DA said.
There he ordered the victim to perform a sexual act on him and when she refused, he punched her repeatedly in the head and face and slammed her head into a wall until she gave in, Brown said. The victim was taken to a Queens hospital and treated for a broken nose and other injuries to her head and face.
The second incident took place around 2 a.m. Jan. 26, 2008. Fana sexually attacked a 27-year-old woman he had just met at a nearby nightclub in back of 23-31 94th St., ordering the woman to perform a sexual act on him and repeatedly punching her with a closed fist in the face when she refused, the DA said.
Police arriving at the scene found the victim bent over a car and Fana standing behind her with his pants down.
According to the DA, the victim was crying and screaming, “Help me, help me, he’s raping me.” She was treated for a broken nose and bruised eyes, lips and cheeks.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jewalsh@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
