DNA Fingers Suspect in 2002 Metro-North Sex Attack

BRIDGEPORT (1010 WINS) -- DNA has helped to thaw a cold case for MTA police.

The technology was used to arrest a Connecticut man in a 2002 sexual assault at the Metro-North station in Bridgeport.

46-year-old Jose Benet of Bridgeport, was arrested and arraigned on March 8, MTA police said.

He's charged with aggravated sexual assault in the first degree and is being held on $500,000 bail.

The arresting officer was MTA Police Det. Sgt. John Rizzitelli, assisted by Det. Sean Connelly, also of the MTA PD, and Bridgeport Police Detective Warren Del Monte.

"This is a terrific example of the MTA Police Department collaborating with local law enforcement and utilizing cutting edge technology to take an alleged violent offender off the streets," said MTA Police Assistant Deputy Chief Stephen Conner.

On March 28, 2002, authorities say a woman was walking to the Port Jefferson Ferry terminal from a nearby parking garage when she was abducted at knife point under the walkway entrance to the Bridgeport Train Station. She was then sexually assaulted underneath the station on the banks of the Bridgeport Harbor. The assailant's DNA was recovered during the sexual assault examination routinely performed by hospitals.

MTA and Bridgeport Detectives investigated the case for months without any leads. At the time, the DNA from the sexual assault kit did not match any law enforcement databases.

Police say the case went cold until Monday, March 5. During the investigation of an unrelated case a new search was made of the Connecticut Convicted Offenders DNA Database, and a DNA match was made.