Man Sentenced to Life for Assaulting Elderly Woman

A serial attacker has received a life sentence after a brutal assault on an 81-year-old woman in Manhattan. Avon Long, 79, was sentenced to 32 years to life after forcing his way into the victim’s apartment, where he subjected her to over an hour of sexual violence, covering her mouth and strangling her during the attack.

The survivor, now 83, bravely addressed the court, describing her ordeal and expressing her relief that she survived. “My survival is a miracle,” she said, emphasizing her strength amid her trauma. She recounted being ordered to undress, lying on her bed, and being restrained with a phone charger cord to prevent her from calling for help. Long returned after leaving, strangling her until she lost consciousness.

She described her physical and emotional pain, including two weeks hospitalized with “aches and pain from head to toe.” Despite the trauma, she emphasized the importance of forgiveness, noting that she believes in divine compassion, and told Long, “Get yourself out of the way and look in your own mirror and ask God to help you, please.”

Avon Long will likely serve the rest of his life in prison. — Long may spend his remaining days behind bars.

Long has a long history of sexual crimes, dating back to the 1960s. His previous convictions include rape and robbery, with sentences totaling multiple years behind bars. He was released in 2015 after serving time for earlier assaults. In this recent case, he was convicted of kidnapping, burglary, attempted rape, sexual abuse, and strangulation.

While the victim expressed her resilience, Long showed little remorse, complaining about the difficulties of his trial and claiming to be traumatized himself. However, the judge strongly disagreed, stating, “You created that trauma,” and labeled Long as “the most prolific rapist this court has ever seen.”

District Attorney Alvin Bragg hopes the sentence will provide some closure, highlighting the victim’s unwavering bravery. “This defendant horrifically abused a defenseless, 81-year-old woman,” he stated, noting Long’s nearly unbreakable incarceration for the foreseeable future.