A Long Island man convicted of raping two members of his family, who were 5 and 12 years old at the time, is facing nearly 90 years in prison.
The 38-year-old man, from Patchogue, has not been named to protect the identity of his victims, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement. The man was found guilty Monday on a slew of charges, including first-degree rape and sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.
Evidence offered throughout his trial confirmed the man began sexually abusing his daughter in September 2013, when she was just 5 years old and in kindergarten, the district attorney said. The abuse continued for “several more years” because the man told the child that speaking up about it would ruin their family.
The last incident occurred right before the victim turned 14, “when the defendant climbed into her bed, raped her, and told her to be quiet when she said she was going to tell her mother,” according to the statement.
Then, on Aug. 29, 2021, the defendant sexually abused a second victim, his 15-year-old half-sister, who had been spending the night at his house, according to prosecutors. She was visiting from Manhattan, where she lived with her father, at the time.
“While she slept on an air mattress, the defendant crawled in next to her and held her body in a leg lock to keep her from moving as he pulled off her clothing and raped her,” the statement said.
The teenager later reported the incident, triggering an investigation.
“This defendant betrayed the trust of two children in the most heinous way possible, exploiting his position as a family member to commit unspeakable acts of violence,” Tierney said. “I commend the tremendous courage of the survivors in coming forward to testify. Their bravery has ensured that this predator will be held accountable and will no longer harm them or other children.”
He is due to be sentenced Jan. 7 and faces 89 years in prison.
