Listen To Story Above

Jason Ayala found himself in legal trouble again, just one day after being released following robbery charges, when he allegedly sexually assaulted five women in Manhattan.

Initially, the 31-year-old faced two counts of second-degree robbery for allegedly attacking two men, ages 61 and 51, and stealing a mobile phone on January 12. Despite these being bail-eligible offenses, Judge Robert Rosenthal, a Bill de Blasio appointee, decided to release Ayala.

Following his release, Ayala allegedly embarked on a 30-minute crime spree at public housing developments. The incidents began when he reportedly groped a 14-year-old girl in a building lobby. He then moved to another complex where he allegedly assaulted a 35-year-old woman by grabbing her buttocks.

Returning to the first location, Ayala allegedly struck again, this time slapping a 49-year-old woman’s buttocks. Minutes later, he was accused of inappropriately touching both a 12-year-old girl and her 32-year-old mother in an elevator. Law enforcement intervened after the 14-year-old victim’s mother contacted them.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch expressed her frustration, stating, “The next day, the day after he was arraigned on the earlier robbery arrest, he victimized five additional females in Manhattan.” She added, “All of the arrests were for forcibly touching intimate parts and endangerment. He shouldn’t have been out on our streets the next day doing that.”

For these offenses, Ayala faces multiple charges including forcible touching, sexual abuse, and child endangerment. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg sought $200,000 cash bail or $600,000 bond, but Judge Rosenthal set it at $50,000 cash and $150,000 bond, sending Ayala to Rikers Island.

Records show Ayala’s criminal history includes six prior arrests for various offenses including drug-impaired driving, drug possession and sales, assault, vandalism, and a 2004 robbery.

Local resident Juana Catalan, 50, voiced her outrage: “How are they going to let a criminal go and get away with that? That is just really insane to me.”

Recent crime statistics in New York City reveal concerning trends, with rape cases up 50 percent and other sex crimes increasing by 20.7 percent compared to early 2024.

“We need our judges to step up and do the right thing, especially in cases where bail is eligible and bail is called for, to keep dangerous criminals off the streets,” Tisch remarked recently.