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Police believe they've solved attempted rape

Morris Heights man charged in attack

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A 73-year-old woman said she was attacked while walking along Reservoir Avenue, yet police refused to give up finding the man who did it.

Now they believe they've got that very person after arresting a Morris Heights man and charging him with attempted rape.

Maximiliano Mejia, 26, of 10 Richman Plaza, is accused of sneaking up behind the woman in the early hours of June 5 while she walked toward West 195th Street, and shoving her to the ground. He reportedly muffled her screams with his hand while sexually assaulting her.

But the woman fought back, struggling free and screaming for help, sending her assailant running.

The break in the case came after police released a video of what they said was a man they wanted to talk to in connection with the attack. In the video, he walked in front of a building wearing what appeared to be a football jersey and a winter cap.

This story was updated 6/14 at 6 p.m., to correct the year of the attack. The originally posted year, which was erroneously provided by the New York Police Department, was incorrect.

New York Police Department, NYPD, 50th Precinct, Maximiliano Mejia, Zak Kostro