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Man charged in SI teen terror incident

Friday, March 23, 2007

(Grassmere, SI-WABC, March 23, 2007) (WABC) -- A Staten Island man was charged this morning with handcuffing a 13-year-boy to a tree and assaulting him -- and is suspected of attempting a similar attack on a Staten Island Rapid Transit train earlier this month.

Police say 26-year-old William Marcus was picked up by police last night following a tip from one of his relatives. The suspect's 13-year-old victim then picked his picture out of a photo selection.

Apparently, detectives found some of the victim's personal items during a search of Marcus' Roff Street home.

Eyewitness News is told, during questioning this morning, the suspect made a detailed statement admitting to the assault. He is expected to be arraigned this afternoon on charges including robbery, sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

Authorities currently believe the Wednesday assault on the 13-year-old, in which he was handcuffed to a tree and assaulted, was a random act. Robbery is believed to have been the motive.

Detectives examined the victim's computer and do not believe the victim made contact with the suspect through his MySpace.com page.

"They know how to entice a child to come and meet them some place," Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan said.

They attribute continuing conflicting stories from the victim to his being shaken by the incident and unfamiliar with the police. However, detectives added that the victim has given them enough credible information to make an arrest.

In addition to the Wednesday assault, authorities believe Marcus attempted a similar attack on a Staten Island Rapid Transit train earlier this month.

On March 5, authorities suspect Marcus attempted to lure a 13-year-old off the train. The intended victim made eye contact with another person on the train, and that good Samaritan came to his aid. Marcus got off at the next stop.

Police say the suspect has several prior run-ins with the law.

In 2000, he was charged with petit larceny. That record of that case is sealed. He also had two other arrests, including one exactly eight years ago involving a sex assault. Those cases are sealed because he was a juvenile at the time.

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