2015 rape spells ‘life’ for convict

A SERIAL sex offender who raped and brutally beat a random 60-year-old woman on a bridge between Manhattan and the Bronx in 2015 received a sentence of up to life in prison on Monday.

Randy Rivera, 29, previously copped to two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of robbery as a sexually motivated felony, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Rivera — already a level-three sex offender at the time of the attack — approached the woman at the 207th St. bridge on Dec. 21, 2015, knocked her to the ground and repeatedly punched her before sexually assaulting her.

He then stole her purse and took off, prosecutors said.

Rivera later claimed he committed the brutal crime because “something took over me.” He has a past conviction for sexually abusing an 11-year-old and was designated a highest-risk sex offender.

He was identified and caught in this case because his DNA was collected in the rape kit when the victim was treated at Harlem Hospital, the DA said.