Long Island Man Gets 10 Years for Rape of European Tourist

A Long Beach man was sentenced on Friday to 10 years in prison and 20 years of post-release supervision for the 2015 rape of a European tourist who was staying in his apartment.

Dennis Edison, 32, was found guilty by Supreme Court Justice Robert McDonald on Aug. 19 of rape in the first degree and sexual abuse in the first degree.

“This defendant drugged and raped an unsuspecting tourist who he lured to his apartment through couchsurfing.com,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “She bravely reported the incident and thanks to the outstanding work of the Long Beach Police Department and our prosecutors, this predator will be held accountable. While many report great experiences with couch surfing sites, it’s important to remember that these completely unregulated websites come with significant risks to those who use them.”

On Nov. 24, 2015, two female tourists from Germany arrived at Edison’s Long Beach apartment. The women, both 21 years old at the time, met Edison through couchsurfing.com and planned on spending several days at his home.

There was nothing that raised the women’s suspicions the first night of their stay. The next day, Edison gave the two women cocktails he had prepared. Both women described a feeling of detachment and that their movements felt labored, like “a robot,” after drinking the cocktails.

Edison then gave the woman a different drink while her friend fell asleep. The woman became disassociated from her surroundings and was led to a massage table in Edison’s bedroom. The woman was incapacitated and became unconscious. Forensic evidence confirmed that the unconscious woman was raped by Edison, who initially denied having sexual contact with her in a recorded conversation.

The women left Edison’s apartment after becoming violently ill and reported the crime in Manhattan. The NYPD contacted the Long Beach Police Department, who met the victim at Mount Sinai hospital. Detectives investigated the case and arrested Edison on Dec. 22, 2015 after he was indicted by a Nassau County Grand Jury.

Elizabeth Spratt, director of toxicology at the Westchester County Department of Labs and Research, testified at trial that the physical disassociation, pain and vomiting are consistent with ingesting gamma-hydroxybutyrate, commonly known as GHB or the “date rape” drug. GHB is an odorless, colorless drug that may be combined with alcohol and given to unsuspecting victims prior to sexual assaults.

Drug-rape cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute because the victim doesn’t have any memory of the crime and because drugs like GHB dissipate quickly from the blood and are therefore untraceable.

Tips to follow if you plan on using a couch-surfing site:

• Carefully check the profiles and reviews of potential hosts before you book, and ask for references.
• Read everything the host has posted about their listing.
• Set clear expectations with your host and trust your intuition – if you don’t feel right about a reservation, don’t book it.
• In an emergency situation, of if you feel your personal safety is threatened, contact local police or emergency services immediately.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney