3D render of a crime scene tape against defocussed city background
Courtesy Freepik
A Queens man has been sentenced to 34 years in prison for raping two underage girls in separate incidents, the Queens District Attorney’s Office announced last week.
Viando Ricketts, 31, of St. Albans, was convicted in March on multiple charges, including first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, kidnapping, and witness tampering. He was sentenced Friday by Queens Supreme Court Justice Gia Morris to 34 years in prison, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Prosecutors said Ricketts first encountered a 16-year-old girl in June 2022 while the two worked at neighboring businesses in St. Albans. He gave her food and later took her to the Belmont Motel in Queens Village, where he raped her. He continued to engage in sexual activity with her over the following months at her home and his barbershop. In October 2022, during an argument, he physically assaulted her, and weeks later raped her again inside his vehicle.
Despite a court-issued order of protection, Ricketts contacted the girl by phone and text, urging her to drop the charges, authorities said.
In a separate case in November 2022, Ricketts met a 12-year-old girl who had recently run away from a group home. He offered her alcohol at his barbershop before taking her to the same motel, where he raped her. The girl later disclosed the assault during a hospital visit, prompting police to open an investigation.
“This sexual predator targeted unsuspecting children, brought them to a hotel near his place of employment, and raped them,” District Attorney Katz said. “After the defendant was arrested, he violated an order of protection against one of the girls, and continued to contact her in a bid to have her drop the charges. We thank the brave victims for coming forward. The defendant will now serve 34 years in prison and be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.”
After the first assault, Ricketts admitted what he had done and repeatedly apologized to the victim. He continued seeing her over the next several months, during which he engaged in sexual activity with her multiple times each week, both at her home and at his barbershop.
On October 8, 2022, an argument between the two escalated into violence, and Ricketts punched the girl several times in the face.
About a year later, after the relationship had ended, Ricketts drove to her home and invited her into his vehicle to talk. Another argument followed, during which he raped her inside the car. Weeks later, the victim contacted the police. Although an order of protection was issued, Ricketts violated it by calling and texting her, urging her to drop the charges.
Several days later, the victim went to the hospital for an unrelated issue and during the assessment by the doctors she disclosed the rape. The police were immediately notified.
Assistant District Attorney Sean Jaime of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Eric C. Rosenbaum, Bureau Chief, Debra Lynn Pomodore, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, Brian Hughes and Lauren Parsons, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Special Prosecutions Joyce A. Smith.
