A 30-year-old Bronx man accused of three sexual assaults in New York City's Central Park over five years is in custody in Miami-Dade County, awaiting extradition to New York. Dereck Rivera-Deleon was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 10, on a Miami Beach street, ending a search that NYPD detectives had pursued since 2021, according to police.

How was the suspect found?

Miami Beach police robbery detectives and the U.S. Marshals Service took Rivera-Deleon into custody without incident on the 1100 block of Washington Avenue, across from police headquarters. He was working at a nearby restaurant, and law enforcement sources told CBS News that investigators tracked his cellphone. Miami Beach police spokesperson Christopher Bess said the suspect had been in South Florida only a few weeks. "We don't know why he chose our city," Bess said.

What are the allegations?

Authorities link Rivera-Deleon to three attacks in Central Park:

  • July 2021: a 23-year-old woman reported being sexually assaulted.
  • October 2023: an 18-year-old woman reported an assault and identified her attacker.
  • Oct. 24, 2026: a 39-year-old woman was assaulted at knifepoint near East 66th Street and Fifth Avenue, police said.

DNA from the most recent scene matched evidence from the two earlier cases, according to law enforcement sources. The second victim knew the suspect, authorities said.

Are there more possible victims?

Miami Beach police say they have no information that anyone was victimized in South Florida, but Bess said he hopes coverage of the arrest will encourage anyone who may have been attacked to contact investigators. Rivera-Deleon is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a fugitive warrant while New York seeks his return.

FAQ

Where is the suspect being held?

He is at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County, awaiting extradition to New York.

What should potential victims do?

Miami Beach police are asking anyone who believes they were victimized by Rivera-Deleon to contact investigators.