A Jackson Heights man was found guilty Tuesday, March 1, of raping a woman who was staying in his home in January 2019, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Ahmed Shamim, 35, was convicted of rape in the first degree following a two-week-long jury trial before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant.
According to trial records, on Jan. 25, 2019, the defendant and the victim, a 25-year-old woman who moved to the United States from Bangladesh several weeks prior to attending college and was sharing a room in Shamim’s apartment with his niece, went out for her birthday. They returned to the apartment on 75th Street and the woman retired for the night.
The victim was suddenly awakened by Shamim later that evening, who restrained her by holding her arms above her head and removing her pants. Shamim applied pressure to the woman’s neck and forcibly raped her.
Police were called later that morning and the defendant was arrested at his residence. Katz said after the attack the victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment of physical injuries sustained during the rape and a forensic examination was conducted. DNA evidence recovered from the sexual assault kit administered to the victim matched for Shamim’s DNA profile.
“The defendant violated the trust of a woman who was a guest at his home,” Katz said. “After weighing all the evidence presented at trial, a jury found the defendant guilty. The court is now slated to sentence him to a lengthy term of incarceration as a measure of justice for his crime.”
Justice Pandit-Durant set the sentencing for March 21, at which time Shamim faces up to 25 years in prison.
