Central Park Rapist Found in South Beach

A man wanted in New York for three sexual assaults was arrested in Miami Beach on Tuesday while wearing his work uniform. Officers from the local police department took Dereck Rivera-Deleon into custody just before noon. He was found working at a fast-food restaurant in the heart of the tourist district, a location situated across the street from the police headquarters.

Rivera-Deleon, 30, faces charges for raping three women in Central Park. The most recent incident occurred in October, when prosecutors allege he assaulted a 39-year-old woman at knife point. Two other similar attacks took place in the same park during 2021 and 2023. New York authorities linked the suspect to the crimes through DNA evidence and victim identification.

Body camera footage from the arrest shows officers shouting commands for the suspect to get on the ground. Rivera-Deleon appeared confused by the sudden detention. He asked an officer, "Did I do something wrong, sir?" and added, "I didn’t do nothing wrong." After being informed of the warrant, he questioned his status, asking, "But I’m good? Like," before an officer replied, "You’re going to jail."

Christopher Bess, a spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Department, said officers were unsure why the suspect chose to travel to South Florida. Bess noted that they did not believe Rivera-Deleon had been in the city for a long period. He described the suspect's decision to work near the police station as very brazen. Bess said the behavior showed little regard for the law or the victims.

One officer noted during the arrest that Rivera-Deleon supposedly worked at a Burger King location in the area. The proximity to the police department raised questions about his confidence in avoiding detection. After being handcuffed and surrounded by officers, Rivera-Deleon walked across the street to the police headquarters.

From there, he was transported to the Miami-Dade County jail. Following his booking in Miami, the suspect is expected to be transported back to New York City. He will face charges there for the alleged crimes committed in Central Park over the past few years.