Suspected Venezuelan gang member arrested after exposing himself to Manhattan assistant DA
NEW YORK - Police say they have arrested a 25-year-old man who is accused of robbing and exposing himself to an assistant District Attorney in Manhattan.
Authorities say Brandon Simosa confronted the 38-year-old woman in the hallway of her apartment building near West 44th Street and Ninth Avenue around 2 a.m. Sunday.
Police allege Simosa asked the victim for money before exposing himself and performing "a lewd act." During the confrontation, the woman dropped her phone, which Simosa grabbed before fleeing the scene. He also reportedly stole credit cards and cash from her purse.
Suspect Brandon Simosa pictured in still images from surveillance video shared by the NYPD. (NYPD)
Simosa is an illegal immigrant with ties to Tren de Aragua, the infamous Venezuelan prison gang, according to the New York Post. Police say the gang has been linked to a rise in thefts and robberies in New York City, with crimes often targeting women carrying purses or cellphones.
Simosa is facing multiple charges, including sexually motivated robbery, sexually motivated burglary, grand larceny, and drug possession.
The victim, whose identity has not been released, works as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan.