Manhattan man arrested after raping, giving drugs to a 14-year-old girl who overdosed in hotel room, prosecutors say
The Manhattan District Attorney's office in New York on April 3. A 54-year-old Manhattan man was arrested after he allegedly raped and gave drugs to a 14-year-old girl who overdosed in a New York City hotel room
By Nicki Brown, CNN
(CNN) — A 54-year-old Manhattan man was arrested after he allegedly raped and gave drugs to a 14-year-old girl who overdosed in a New York City hotel room, according to prosecutors.
The child survived the May 26 overdose after being taken to the hospital, according to a statement from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
“This indictment charges that the defendant used drugs and money to engage in targeted and repeated sexual abuse of a child,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in the statement. “My Office is actively investigating these allegations and the potential that the defendant’s criminal conduct reaches much farther than the charges contained in today’s indictment.”
Michael Olson has been charged with more than 15 counts, including second degree rape and criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child, according to the indictment. He pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday, according to online case records. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In December 2022, Olson responded to a 14-year-old’s social media post complaining about the price of clothing, according to the statement from Bragg’s office. Olson allegedly sent her a gift card and then began to pay her to spend time with him.
Over six months, Olson repeatedly raped the girl in hotel rooms in Manhattan and Queens while paying her about $700 a week, the statement said. He also took the girl to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami and booked her flights using her first name and his last name so it appeared she was his daughter, according to the statement from the district attorney.
On May 26, first responders found the girl overdosing in a Manhattan hotel room with Olson, the district attorney’s statement said. Various drugs – including ketamine, cocaine and Xanax – were also found in the hotel room, according to the statement.
DA’s office says it’s interviewing more victims
Assistant District Attorney John Fuller described content found on Olson’s devices during the investigation, including hundreds of screenshots showing the social media accounts of “young, Asian teenage girls” he messaged, according to the record.
Olson “targeted” girls who posted pictures about high school acceptance letters, PSAT scores, financial difficulties or self-harm, according to a record of his remarks provided by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
“While the People are already aware of many additional charges that we expect to bring, we also continue to interview more victims as they are identified, and expect that additional charges will result from such investigation,” according to the record of Fuller’s remarks.
Previously, Olson had posted $1 million bond, surrendered his passport and was placed on home confinement with electronic monitoring, Fuller said, according to the record.
“After posting bail in the instant matter, the defendant changed his phone number and continued to reach out to the victims of this scheme as recently as this week,” he argued Thursday.
Olson was remanded into custody, online court records show, and his next court appearance is scheduled for June 27.
Olson currently faces a maximum of 44 years in prison, but prosecutors expect to bring forward “many additional charges,” Fuller said, according to the record.
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CNN’s Rob Frehse and Nic Anderson contributed to this report.
