A man taken into custody for allegedly assaulting a 20-year-old student from New York University (NYU) near the university’s Manhattan campus has a lengthy criminal history, with 16 prior arrests, police have reported.

The suspect, identified as 45-year-old James Rizzo, was apprehended by the New York City Police Department (NYPD). He faces charges of persistent sexual abuse, forcible touching, and assault related to this recent incident.

According to authorities, Rizzo allegedly approached the student from behind around 9:20 a.m. on Monday. He reportedly slapped her head and buttocks, pulled her hair, and then fled the scene.

James Rizzo was later seen being led out of a Manhattan precinct during a nighttime “perp walk.” He is facing charges including persistent sexual abuse, forcible touching, and assault connected to the attack. (FNTV)

During his exit from the precinct on Tuesday night, Rizzo was clad in a black hoodie and gray sweatpants. He remained silent, ignoring questions from reporters as officers escorted him to a police vehicle.

The New York Post reported Rizzo’s 16 prior arrests include sexual abuse, forcible touching, repeated assaults on women, burglary and a 1997 murder arrest. New York state prison records show Rizzo has no murder conviction on his record.

Rizzo previously served a two-year state sentence for persistent sexual abuse before being released on parole in September, the records show. He was still on active parole on Monday. 

WATCH: NYU student allegedly assaulted on way to class, video shows

The victim, identified on social media as NYU student Amelia Lewis, posted video and surveillance footage of the attack on X and TikTok, saying a man had assaulted her on the street without warning.

“When I turned around, I saw this old, White guy, and, like right when I turned around, he like grabbed my f—— hair like this and like yanked me and threw me to the ground,” Lewis said.

A group of girls is then seen in the footage helping her up after she was knocked to the ground.

Lewis said the surveillance video was obtained by a friend of hers from a nearby liquor store. She described the assailant as a tall man with long brown hair and a long brown beard, wearing gray sweatpants, a black puffer jacket and a blue towel around his neck.

WATCH: NYU student recounts shocking street attack

The college student said she sent the video to NYU security, who forwarded the footage to police. 

“The University is pleased that a suspect has been apprehended in the attack on one of its students that took place Monday morning on a Broadway sidewalk. We take this incident very seriously,” said NYU spokesperson John Beckman. “We are continuing to offer support to the student, and our Campus Safety Department assisted the victim and worked with the police investigating the incident.”

NYU student Amelia Lewis, right, was allegedly assaulted on her way to class. (Screenshot: X/Amelia Lewis)

“I just really want to emphasize how not OK this is. I am a student at NYU. I should not be scared to be walking the street to go to my 9:30 a.m. class. These people are disgusting, and they should not be able to be walking around the street freely targeting girls and doing this. Cause I heard that this guy did this a month ago,” Lewis said in the video. 

“I’m honestly still in shock, but I’m more enraged that things like this are able to happen in this city, and we really need to do something about it because this is unacceptable,” she continued. 

“This just shows that you really need to reflect on who you’re voting for and supporting right now because New York needs help, and we’re just not getting the help we need, and this is crazy,” she added.