Columbia student allegedly raped at Ritz Carlton by man she met online
By JAMIE SCHRAM
Last Updated: 9:00 AM, April 30, 2013
Posted: 8:59 AM, April 30, 2013
A Columbia University dental student was allegedly raped at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in lower Manhattan after she met a man online -- and he drugged her with ecstasy, police sources said yesterday.
The 26-year-old woman met Sean Ahearn, 27, of Long Island, on an unspecified dating site, and they made plans to meet at the Ritz in Battery Park around 8 p.m. on April 7, sources said.
Ahearn paid for the pricey room with a credit card and escorted his date upstairs, sources said.
Once inside the room, Ahearn allegedly slipped liquid ecstasy into her drink, causing her to black out, police sources said.
Ahearn may have also spiked her drink with a second drug, police sources said.
He then had sex with the unconscious victim and then left, sources said.
When the victim awoke, she felt "like s--t," one police source said.
She was rushed to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where she was given a rape kit and a toxicology test. The results of both test are pending.
Police were called to the hospital and she filed a report.
Detectives set up a "controlled phone call" in which they listened in on a conversation between the victim and Ahearn, sources said.
During their phone discussion, Ahearn admitted that he drugged her sources said.
Detectives arrested Ahearn on Saturday on charges of rape and facilitating sex offense with a controlled substance.
Sources said Ahearn told cops that the sexual encounter was consensual, but he admitted that he "gave her liquid X."
Ahearn has a court date this week.
