New York Man Who Brutally Attacked 67-Year-Old Asian Woman Sentenced 17 Years in Jail

A New York man who brutally attacked a 67-year-old Asian woman — punching her more than 125 times — was sentenced to 17 years and a half years in state prison on Tuesday.

In addition to his sentence, Tammel Esco, 42, will also be subject to five years of post-release supervision for his role in the March attack in Yonkers, New York. He pled guilty to first-degree assault as a hate crime in September.

“Today we close a chapter on one of the most vicious and shocking hate crimes we’ve seen in Westchester County,” said District Attorney Miram Roach at a press conference following the sentencing at a county court. “This is a case that has traumatized not only the victim and her family, but also her neighbors, the Westchester community, and the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander community.”

On March 11, the elderly woman walked past Esco, where he called her an “Asian bitch” as she was about to enter the apartment complex. He then approached the 67-year-old from behind and hit her in the head before punching her in the head and face over 125 times, foot-stomping her seven times, and spitting on her at least once.

When officers found the victim, she had severe facial injuries and was transported to a local area trauma center. The woman was treated for “multiple contusions and lacerations to her head and face, facial bone fractures, and bleeding on the brain,” the Yonkers Police Department said in a statement at the time.

Esco was found outside the building and was arrested without incident.

The victim appeared in court to read her impact statement, revealing she had moved away from the apartment where the attack occurred.

“Because of the viciousness and hate of Tammel Esco, I lost the place I called home for over 24 years, the place where I raised my daughters, and my longtime neighbors,” the victim said.

She continued:

As the attack happened, all I could think was, ‘Please Lord let me live, please Lord my daughters need me.’ A complete stranger heartlessly spit, beat and kicked me over 100 times just because of my heritage… My only hope is that God and the criminal justice system will see fit to make sure this never happens to any other innocent family again.

“I only hope the victim and her family can find some degree of peace now that justice has been served,” said YPD Commissioner Chris Sapienza following the sentencing.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.