ALBANY, N.Y. -- Police say one man robbed two women over the weekend at knifepoint and sexually assaulted one of them after getting her into his home.
"You have decent people living in this neighborhood, but then one or two houses here just ruin the neighborhood," said an Albany resident.
Nestled among restaurants, a major hospital, colleges, and an elementary school, the corner of New Scotland and Norwood hardly appears dangerous, but police say one man made it so.
"The night that it actually happened, my daughter said to me there was somebody sitting on the porch over there that really gave her the creeps," said a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous.
He explained that that man was Jose Marlett. Police said early Saturday evening, Marlett approached two women separately with a knife and demanded money. The first victim handed him her debit card. He left, and she called police. The second victim was forced inside Marlett's home on New Scotland.
"While inside the residence, he stole her debit card and also sexually assaulted her," said Steve Smith, Albany Police Department spokesperson.
Police say the 36-year-old Marlett restrained her and left the house. That's when an officer saw him walking and approached him as part of the investigation. In the meantime, the woman inside Marlett's home managed to escape.
Neighbors said the incident is tragic, but not shocking.
"He would stand on this corner of New Scotland and Norwood and just look at females going up and down the street all the time," said an anonymous neighbor. "He was really, truly psychotic."
As a husband and father, he added he's just glad Martell is now off the streets.
"I'm very glad, definitely without a doubt," he said.
Ppolice remind everyone to be vigilant no matter where they are.
"Always be aware and if you see something, say something. Anything suspicious, ever, just call the police," Smith said.
Marlett was charged on multiple counts including robbery, rape, predatory sexual assault, unlawful imprisonment and criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned and sent to the Albany County Jail.