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A parolee, identified as a homeless man, attempted to sexually assault a woman in Central Park, but his actions were halted by the timely intervention of alert bystanders, according to police and insider reports on Tuesday.
The suspect, Lateef Caldwell, 30, is accused of attacking a 45-year-old woman near 109th Street and East Drive around 5:40 p.m. on Monday, police sources revealed.
However, his attempt was foiled when several good Samaritans stepped in to stop the attack, according to law enforcement sources.
The victim, reportedly a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, did not sustain any injuries during the incident, insiders noted.
After the failed assault, the attacker tried to flee the scene but was apprehended by officers at 106th Street and East Drive, the sources added.
Caldwell, who lives in a Wards Island shelter, was charged with attempted rape, attempted sexual assault and sexual abuse, police said.
He was released on parole less than a year ago in connection to a similar sexual abuse case from April 2022, also in Manhattan, the sources said.
In that incident, he allegedly tackled a 23-year-old apparent stranger to the ground and attempted to remove her clothing, according to the sources.
He was held in an upstate prison on a first-degree attempted sexual abuse charge from March 2023 until April 2025, according to state Corrections records.
His parole was set to expire in 2029, the records show.
Caldwell’s arraignment in the new case was pending Tuesday.