A jealous ex-boyfriend accused of raping and brutally stabbing the mother of his child stunned a Queens courtroom last month when he turned down a 20-year plea deal offered by Queens prosecutors.
Paguay was out on bail in the attack on the 17-year-old victim, who he allegedly stabbed several times in the back–leaving her temporarily paralyzed from the waist down.
The victim, who has an 18-month-old son with her attacker, was with her new boyfriend in her Corona apartment on the afternoon of June 21, 2011 when Paguay arrived and started an argument, police said.
Paguay, who was out on $25,000 bail at the time for allegedly raping the teen on Apr. 21, 2011, when the victim he “was going to get locked up”, if she testified about the rape, police said. The victim was scheduled to testify in Queens Criminal Court on the day of the stabbing.
Paguay returned to the apartment a short while later brandishing a knife police said. He stabbed the boyfriend, then grabbed the victim and stabbed her in the hand.
The hysterical teen ran from the apartment, bleeding from the wound in her hand. Paguay caught up with her on the street, grabbed her from behind and held the knife against her rib cage, but he was distracted by his cousin who learned of the attack and ran to the scene, begging Paguay to drop the knife.
When the cousin tried to pull the teen away, the raging Paguay slashed him with the knife, the sources said.
During the struggle, the victim managed to knock the knife from Paguay’s hand, the sources said. She tossed the knife to the cousin and ran into a nearby Fine Fare Supermarket seeking help.
The cousin lunged toward Paguay, knife in hand, but was stopped by a Department of Sanitation worker who spotted the melee, police sources said.
Paguay followed the teen into the supermarket where he found a 10-inch knife and plunged the blade, three times, into the teen’s back – paralyzing her, the sources said.
The teen was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital Center where she fought desperately to survive, family members said. She has since recovered enough to walk and will testify at Paguay’s trial, family members said.
The boyfriend, who was stabbed by Paguay inside the Corona apartment, was treated at Elmhurst for non life-threatening wounds, authorities said.
Paguay subsequently appeared before Queens Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Zaro, who had released him on $25,000 bail after the rape. Zaro, who released Paguay on the low bail despite pleas from Queens prosecutors who sought $250,000 bail.
Paguay was arraigned on new charges related to the knife attack and was ordered held without bail.
Prosecutors offered Paguay the deal during a hearing at Queens Supreme Court on the condition that he plead guilty to first-degree rape and second-degree attempted murder.
When Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder advised Paguay that he had to decide on the plea deal immediately after it was offered, he refused to accept it because he was unable to talk it over with his mother.
Prosecutors explained that if convicted, Paguay could be sentenced “well beyond” 20-years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano said Paguay “would be a grandfather” before he was freed to spend time with his two children.
Paguay’s attorney spoke briefly with his client and then turned down the deal.
Holder took the offer off the table and set a September 12 trial date for Paguay on the rape and attempted murder charges.