Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced that Eduardo Hernandez, 49, of Garnerville, pleaded guilty to Kidnapping in the Second Degree in Rockland County Court on March 4, 2026, before Judge Kevin F. Russo. Hernandez is expected to be sentenced to 14 years in New York State Prison, with sentencing scheduled for June 3, 2026.
According to prosecutors, the charges stem from an incident on September 14, 2025, at approximately 5:25 p.m., when Hernandez attacked a woman outside a residence in the Village of Haverstraw. Authorities say Hernandez grabbed the victim by the neck and held a screwdriver to her throat while threatening to use deadly physical force in an attempt to abduct her. The victim was able to fight him off and call for help. Witnesses observed Hernandez fleeing the scene in a vehicle and provided police with the vehicle’s license plate number.
Investigators later located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop the following day at approximately 9:15 a.m. in Stony Point. Hernandez fled on foot but was quickly apprehended and transported to the Haverstraw Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the Haverstraw Police Department, with assistance from the Stony Point Police Department and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities noted that Hernandez has a significant criminal history involving violent offenses against women. He was previously released from state prison on March 15, 2022, after serving 19 years in prison for multiple felony convictions related to kidnappings that occurred in 2002 and 2004 in Haverstraw.
The earlier cases included an attack on a woman at the Marian Shrine in 2002, where the victim managed to escape after being dragged into a wooded area. DNA evidence later linked Hernandez to the crime. Those cases resulted in multiple prison sentences, including a 14-year term and an additional consecutive five-year sentence.
The 2004 and 2005 cases were prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen M. Lloyd. The current case is being prosecuted by Supervising Assistant District Attorney Gerard M. Damiani III and Senior Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin DeLuca of the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit.
Officials praised the victim for her bravery and acknowledged the witnesses whose information helped investigators quickly identify and apprehend the suspect