Richmond Hill Man Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Woman on Jamaica Street

By Michael V. Cusenza

A Richmond Hill man has been sentenced to three years in prison a er pleading guilty to forcibly rubbing his genitals on a woman last summer, Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.

Basam Syed, 43, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24 to persistent sexual abuse before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pan- dit-Durant, who imposed Tuesday’s determinate sentence of three years in prison to be followed by ve years’ post-release supervision. e defendant was previously convicted of sexual abuse in Queens in 2015 and for forcible touching in Manha an, also in 2015.

According to the charges, Syed approached a woman who was working as a college summer intern canvassing the Ja- maica area seeking signatures for a petition. e defendant approached the victim and signed his name to the petition. A er signing, Syed sexually abused the victim on the sidewalk near the intersection of Parsons Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue and then ed on foot.

Syed was arrested about a week later a er the victim identi ed him utilizing an internet search with the information he entered on the petition.

“ e sentence punishes the defendant’s lewdness and should teach him that his disgusting behavior has no place on our streets and simply will not be tolerated,” Katz said.

By 2015, Syed, a registered sex o ender, had been arrested at least 28 times, according to a New York Daily News report. He has been collared twice for grinding on a woman on a train, burglary, and for tongue-kissing the 4-year-old son of his exgirlfriend.