Man with a Past: Unraveling the Story of a Repeat Offender

A man with a history of troubling actions is now facing new charges. James Rizzo Jr. , a 45-year-old man without a home, is accused of attacking a young woman in Manhattan. The incident happened on December 1st, and it was all caught on camera. Rizzo Jr. is said to have slapped the 20-year-old woman on the butt, pulled her hair, and pushed her to the ground. The victim, who is from Texas, shared her experience on TikTok right after it happened. She was understandably upset and confused about what had just occurred. The next day, Rizzo Jr. was arrested. He is now facing charges that include persistent sexual abuse and assault. When he appeared in court on December 3rd, he pleaded not guilty. The judge decided to keep him in jail without bail and scheduled the next court date for Tuesday. This is not the first time Rizzo Jr. has been in trouble with the law. He has a record that includes similar charges and even a hate crime conviction from 2018. He is also facing other charges in Manhattan for assault and burglary. Rizzo Jr. was found hiding in an empty apartment on the 17th floor of a building owned by New York University. Police say he had been living there without permission. Inside the apartment, they found items that he had allegedly stolen from neighbors. The building is home to NYU staff, graduate students, and other residents. There is a doorman, but they do not check IDs because of the mix of people living there. NYU officials were relieved that the suspect had been caught. They said they take the incident very seriously and are offering support to the victim. The university's Campus Safety Department helped the victim and worked with the police during the investigation. Rizzo Jr. 's past includes a hate crime conviction from 2018. He was sentenced to jail time and probation for writing anti-Semitic graffiti on a Jewish neighbor's garage door. He told investigators that he knew the victims were Jewish because of the way they spoke. In 2024, he was sentenced to two years in prison for sexual abuse. He was released from prison in September.