The heartless brute who randomly knocked out an 81-year-old woman on the Upper West Side was out on bail for a previous crime: exposing himself to a mother and her two children, prosecutors in Manhattan said Friday.
Hansel Esparragoza, 37, had two outstanding cases against him on Staten Island and was on supervised release when he struck elderly Geula Freeman at West 66th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan in a shocking video attack on September 13, authorities said.
The suspect already had several arrest warrants issued for failing to appear in court in those cases in which he had challenged the old lady, prosecutors said.
He was held on $75,000 bail at his arraignment Friday on a charge of assault for allegedly beating his defenseless victim.
Esparragoza — a Staten Island resident with a total of 21 previous arrests — was busted on July 27 when he exposed himself to a woman and her two children while muttering “Hey mommy” outside a Staten Island strip mall, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Hunter Carrell said during Friday’s hearing.
In that case, Esparragoza was charged with child endangerment and public lewdness and was released on supervised release because the rapes were ineligible for bail, officials said.
Two weeks later, he was arrested again for allegedly stealing a book from a Barnes & Noble store in the Staten Island Mall on August 9.
The suspect was ticketed for petit larceny as those charges were also ineligible for bail.
“Much to the dismay of our office and the people of Staten Island, due to New York State’s disastrous so-called bail reform, none of the charges against this defendant are eligible for bail,” a spokesperson for the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office said. said.
On Friday, prosecutors walked around the Manhattan courthouse as Esparragoza allegedly attacked the defenseless Freeman, who was walking her son’s Goldendoodle at the time.
Footage of the senseless attack shows Esparragoza first walking past the victim while she was walking the dog, before turning around.
“After taking a few steps, [Esparragoza]seemingly for no reason, turned around and quickly began approaching the complaint… before backing up and punching her square in the jaw,” Carrell said.
Esparragoza’s punch knocked Freeman out cold. Prosecutors say she suffered a broken nose and bruises to her face and neck.
Freeman told The Post that she has amnesia from the attack and cannot remember anything about it.
“It was such a surprise because it was described to me how it happened that I couldn’t have done anything,” she said.
Esparragoza’s attorney, Mariah Martinez, said his client is struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues that “have not been addressed” during his recent arrests.
Prosecutors say Esparragoza has a previous conviction for attempted assault after he beat up a stranger who wouldn’t give up his bike.
Esparragoza was arrested Thursday during the attack on the Upper West Side and faces three years in prison if convicted of the top charge: second-degree assault.
Manhattan Judge Melissa Lewis acknowledged during Friday’s hearing that Esparragoza needs mental health treatment but called the charges “egregious” before setting bail.
He is due back in court on October 9.
