A Long Island man has been convicted of sexually assaulting his 5-year-old daughter on multiple occasions, officials announced Tuesday.
The 47-year-old Selden man, who has not been named to protect the identity of the victim, was found guilty on Monday of first- and second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a press release.
The girl’s ordeal began in the summer of 2015, when the defendant began touching her inappropriately while her mother was away, prosecutors said.
The abuse then “escalated to intercourse” and ended only after the defendant moved out of the house and no longer had contact with his daughter.
Officials did not provide details on how long the abuse lasted, but said the victim kept it “secret for several years” before eventually telling school officials.
The man was arrested in April 2024 following an investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department.
He was convicted Monday following a bench trial before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei.
“This conviction represents justice for a brave young survivor who endured unimaginable trauma at the hands of someone who should have been her protector,” said Tierney, commending the girl’s courage in coming forward.
The man is due back in court on Oct. 16 for sentencing. He faces up to 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years of post-release supervision.
His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier this year, a 68-year-old Selden father was sentenced to 32 to 57 years in prison for sexually abusing three of his young children over a period of 13 years.
The three victims, who were between the ages of 7 and 13 when the abuse began, did not report the incidents at the time for fear that they’d be removed from their family and separated from their siblings. They only contacted authorities when all three became adults, officials said.
