A woman was grabbed from behind and groped in the East Village this morning -- in an attack that may be part of a sex assault pattern.

The 20-year-old victim told police she was grabbed by her attacker on the sidewalk in front of 312 East 9th Street just after 2 a.m.
Eyewitness News is told the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed and groped her, and then fled the scene.

Nothing was taken from the victim. Detectives escorted her to a nearby hospital to be checked out for potential injury.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic man, in his 20s, 5'9" tall, with a muscular, stocky build. During the alleged attack he was wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans and had short, spiked hair.

Authorities are looking into whether the attack is part of a string of sex assaults in the neighborhood.

Police say this alleged attack would be the fourth time a suspect would have struck since June 12 during early morning hours in the East Village and Lower East Side.

In all the attacks reported, the suspect follows women into their apartment buildings as they return home and comes up behind them.

He allegedly targeted a 24-year-old on June 12 and a 30-year-old on July 7. Both victims managed to fight off their attacker, who police say robbed them and fled. Neither was injured.

In the latest incident, reported on July 13, two heads-up neighbors tried to apprehend the man as he pounced on a 33-year-old woman, but the suspect apparently, slipped from their grips and escaped. The victim was treated at an area hospital for lacerations.

According to reports t he attacker has never used a weapon.