Matthew Luna (NYPD)
Aug. 20, 2020 By Christian Murray
A Long Island City man who raped a woman near Skillman Avenue in Woodside last year was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the Queens District Attorney announced today.
Matthew Luna, 27, who pleaded guilty to first-degree rape in January, sexually attacked a 20-year-old woman in the vicinity of Skillman Avenue and 54th Street at around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2019.
Luna attacked the woman after he following her on foot after she got off a bus near the scene of the crime.
When he caught up to her, he asked the victim for directions to a nearby subway station. He then told the young woman that she was pretty and asked for a hug.
The victim, startled, backed away from Luna, who allegedly grabbed her arms and uttered. “Just give me what I want so I don’t have to kill you,” the DA said.
Luna then struck the 20-year-old, shoved her against a parked car, ripped off her clothes from the waist down and sexually assaulted her. He then threw her to the ground and raped her.
The woman was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated for her injuries.
Luna was arrested three days, turning himself into police in a case that shook the neighborhood.
The defendant, according to the DA, surrendered after video surveillance and photos of him became widespread.
“It was a vicious, violent act that should never happen on our streets,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz in a statement.
Luna was sentenced to 12 years in prison to be followed by 10 years’ post release supervision. He is also required to register as a sex offender.
Video released by police on Matthew Luna days after the rape
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17 Comments
12yrs in is not enough. Rapist should never come out of jail. Longer sentence for selling an oz of marijuana. How twisted our system is.
12 years is a joke. he’ll be out in a year with good behavior. what did you expect from a democrat run city? there is no justice here.
Meanwhile Brock Turner got two months
Good work, Lock him up.
Umm, sorry, I support NYPD as much as you, and I hate the haters but NYPD did not really do anything, did you read the article, he turned himself in. There are HUNDREDS of other cases, not just rape but other crimes that still hasn’t been solved, they probably trash those cases after a while when everyone forgets about it. Just scroll through all articles, and see which cases are still pending… Thank you SSpost for updating us.
One thing I’ll say, why the hell does it take a case 1,5 year to sentence? Learn something from other countries, speed up the process, don’t let innocent people suffer. I guess lawyers gotta make money?
Umm, it was the the video from the bus, which was released by the NYPD, that gave a really clear picture of this guy, thus leading to his surrender. Read the photo caption. Better videos matter!
The article said nothing about the police. Everything quoted is from the district attorney who has nothing to directly do with the police department.
how come this guy gets only 12 years? The system needs to change and be more in-line with the crime and the specifics, in other words, he waited, followed this lady and knew exactly what he was doing… 30+ if you ask me.
THANK YOU NYPD for solving this crime.
I can say that and still be anti police brutality.
Not a super hard crime to prove when they admit it lol. Did you…read any of the words in this article?
What did the NYPD solve?
When are we ever going to address violence from black and Hispanic people. No one will ever say anything. How would you like it if it were your sister?
should be 20 years minimum. really.
That is a weak sentence! This piece of garbage is a danger to society and should be locked up for life! The political leadership in nyc is a disgrace! Jimmy, Aoc, Deblasio, Cuomo
Hey be glad at least he got locked up. 12 years is not little, we’ve seen people kill others and get less!
It doesn’t mean that’s right. 12 years is little for what he did. It wasn’t an accident or a road rage incident. He didn’t have to do what he did, he chose to. And again, 12 years is little, ask this lady’s husband, boyfriend, mother, sister, brother what they think. 30+ years would be “a little” better if you ask me.
Life without parole. Sex offenders can’t be rehabilitated.