Local Man Banned from LIRR for Sex Assault

By Nolan Cleary

The MTA recently banned a Huntington man from riding its services, making him the first person to receive a "ban" from the railroad company.

Michael Harewood, age 47, of 7 Preakness Court in Greenlawn, has been barred from taking using any MTA services until 2024, a result of charges involving the sexual assault of a female Long Island Railroad Conductor.

In August, Harewood inappropriately touched a female conductor on a LIRR train, without her consent. He was arrested in September, pled guilty to third degree sexual abuse, and was sentenced to 60 days in jail. The female victim was successfully granted a restraining order against Harewood by the Court.

"This case demonstrates the urgency of our call for the justice system to pursue bans for those criminals who seek to target transit workers or customers," stated MTA Chair Janno Lieber. "We must do everything in our power to keep riders and workers safe. By banning this criminal from the system, the Court has done just that."

The LIRR ban is in compliance with a 2020 state law permitting the MTA the ability to bar customers who harass workers on their transit.

Harewood’s ban extends to the LIRR, and is set to expire towards the end of 2024.