SUNSET PARK — A man who impersonated a police officer and raped a woman in a Sunset Park hotel room was sentenced Monday to up to 32 years to life in prison for the attack, prosecutors said.
Jason Forgetta, 39, a level-three sex offender from a previous rape conviction, posed as an NYPD officer by displaying a fake badge to a 26-year-old woman on July 30, 2014, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.
“This serial sex offender is a clear and present danger to all women and must not be allowed to be out on our streets," Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson said in a statement.
"Today’s just and lengthy prison sentence ensures that he will never be able to harm anyone else.”
The victim, who was a sex worker, was walking on 39th Street near Fifth Avenue at about 2 a.m. when Forgetta parked his car next to her and showed the victim a police badge.
The two began talking and the victim agreed to take Forgetta to a room she had rented at Sunny 39 Hotel, a former hotel located at 517 39th St., the DA said.
When they got to the room, Forgetta told the victim she was under arrest and slammed her against a wall. He then put a pillow over her head and raped her repeatedly, the DA said.
The victim was then told to take a shower to "wash all the DNA" off, according to the press release. Forgetta fled with her wallet, cellphone and undergarments.
But the victim was able to follow Forgetta as he left and noted his license plate number, which led to his arrest, the DA said. The fake police badge was found in the car.
Prior to sentencing, Forgetta was convicted of three counts of predatory sexual assault, second-degree strangulation as a sexually motivated felony, third-degree robbery and first-degree criminal impersonation on July 21.
