Bay Shore Man Convicted After Sexually Abusing 8-Year Old Repeatedly For 4 Years: DA

BAY SHORE, NY — A Bay Shore man was convicted by a Suffolk County jury of repeatedly sexually abusing his girlfriend’s daughter over a period of about four years, beginning when the girl was 8 years old, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

The 39-year-old defendant was found guilty Monday, March 23, of first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, the DA said, along with related misdemeanor charges, after prosecutors said he abused the child from June 2020 through December 2024 while he was dating her mother.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office did not identify the man to protect the identity of the child victim.

According to prosecutors, the abuse began in June 2020 while the victim’s mother was at work. The child asked the defendant to help her download a video game on her phone, DA said.

Prosecutors said the defendant then began grooming her by inviting her to sit on his lap to play a game on the television, which escalated over time into repeated sexual abuse.

The victim did not initially disclose the abuse because she feared she would not be believed, according to the DA’s office. In December 2024, immediately after another act of abuse, she told one of her best friends because she felt she could no longer keep the secret, prosecutors said.

The friend encouraged her to tell an adult, DA said. The victim then told her grandmother, who informed the child’s mother. The mother then contacted police, prosecutors said.

Following a jury trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis, the defendant was convicted of first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, the DA said. He was also convicted of two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child, the DA said.

First-degree course of sexual conduct against a child is a class B violent felony.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court on April 23 for sentencing. He faces up to 25 years in prison, the DA said.

He is represented by Matthew Tuohy, who did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

“Today’s verdict brings justice to a young victim who endured horrific trauma at the hands of the defendant,” Tierney said. “Our thoughts remain with the victim and her family throughout this difficult journey, and we remain committed to ensuring that justice is served in every case of abuse.”