Dereck Rivera-Deleon, a 30-year-old man, was arrested in Miami Beach on Tuesday in connection with a series of sexual assaults in New York City’s Central Park.
Authorities tracked the suspect to a fast-food restaurant where he had been working for less than two weeks before his apprehension.
Arrest at a Miami Beach Burger King
Federal and local authorities took Rivera-Deleon into custody while he was working at a Burger King located in the 1100 block of Washington Avenue.
The arrest was carried out by NYPD detectives assigned to the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from the Miami Beach Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The location of his employment was situated across the street from the local police headquarters.
NYPD detectives assigned to the U. S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force with support from @USMarshalsHQ partners took Dereck Rivera-Deleon into custody today while he was working at Burger King in Miami for allegedly raping a woman in Central Park on October 24, 2026.…
In the video, an officer is heard shouting, “Get on the ground right now! Get on the f’ing ground!” When officers informed him of the warrant for his arrest, Rivera-Deleon initially expressed confusion, asking if they were confusing him with someone else. He was subsequently transported to the Miami-Dade County jail, where he was held as an out-of-state fugitive pending an extradition hearing.
Sexual Assault Allegations in Central Park
The suspect is accused of raping a 39-year-old woman at knifepoint in Central Park on October 24, 2026. According to police reports, the suspect approached the victim around 8:30 p.m. near East 67th Street and Fifth Avenue, displayed a knife, and dragged her into a desolate, wooded area. The victim was later hospitalized in stable condition.
Authorities have linked Rivera-Deleon to two additional rapes that occurred in the same park: one on July 18, 2021, and another on October 6, 2023. Following the October 2026 attack, the NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect wearing a black hooded jacket and carrying a black backpack.
The incident marked the fifth reported rape in Central Park in 2026. While reported rapes in the city have increased 3.7% year to date, police said that with the apprehension of Rivera-Deleon, four of the five rapes reported in the park this year have been solved with arrests.
Official and Community Reactions
Following the October incident, the NYPD increased police patrols throughout Central Park and issued reminders for visitors to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings.
“The NYPD will stop at nothing to get dangerous criminals off our streets,” the department said on social media following the arrest. Ricky J. Patel, the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of New York, noted the significance of the cross-jurisdictional collaboration, stating, “When violent offenders flee to evade justice, we will ensure there is no corner of the country where they can hide.”
An alleged serial rapist wanted in the knifepoint attack of a woman in Central Park last month has been arrested in Miami. Investigators say Dereck Rivera-Deleon will also be charged in two other Central Park rape cases from 2023 and 2021. https://t.co/qcsWnCViA5 pic.twitter.com/Qa2pGBDniD
Miami Beach police spokesperson Christopher Bess described the suspect’s decision to work near police headquarters as “very brazen,” noting that the department remains focused on the ongoing investigation. A representative for Burger King confirmed the suspect’s brief employment, stating, “This individual worked for Burger King for less than two weeks and is no longer employed. We defer any further questions to local authorities.”
Earlier coverage: U.S. Marshals arrest juvenile fugitive Wanted in Boston double murder
