Arrest made in connection with Rockaway rapes

A 23-year-old Queens man has been arrested in connection with two rapes in the Rockaways.

Police say Malcolm Johnson was arrested after DNA evidence linked him to the rapes. Johnson reportedly has prior arrests, which is why his DNA was on file. He was arrested at his home in the Arverne section of the Rockaways and lives blocks away from both attacks.

He is charged with rape, sexual assault, robbery, unlawful imprisonment and criminal possession of a weapon.

The first incident happened Tuesday morning, in which a 25-year-old woman was assaulted behind the Macedonia Baptist Church. The victim got off the subway around 3 a.m. at Beach 67th Street, where she was supposedly followed by Johnson, who pulled out a gun and told her to follow his instructions or be killed. He then dragged her behind the church and raped her, according to authorities.

The second incident happened again just after 5 a.m. Wednesday. Police believe Johnson forced another young woman at gunpoint to the 6th-floor landing of an apartment building on Beach 56th Street and raped her.

In response to the attacks, police beefed up foot patrols and sent undercover detectives to the Far Rockaway neighborhood.

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