LI Man Found Guilty Of Sexually Abusing Stepdaughter, 10: DA

BAY SHORE, NY — A Bay Shore man, 45, was found guilty after a jury trial Thursday of sexually abusing his stepdaughter when she was between 10 and 11 years old, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

The District Attorney’s Office is not naming the man in order to protect the identity of the child.

The evidence at trial established that from August 2021 through October 2021, the defendant sexually abused his stepdaughter on three separate occasions while the victim’s mother was at work, the DA said.

When the abuse began, the victim was 10 years old; the abuse ended when the then 11- year-old girl sent a text message to 911 reporting that her stepfather was trying to have sex with her, and that he had sexually abused her three times in the past, Tierney said.

The child was taken for a sexual assault forensic examination, which confirmed DNA evidence of abuse, the DA said.

On December 22, 2021, he was arrested by members of the Suffolk County Police Department, the DA said.

On February 22, 2024, he was convicted after a jury trial, heard before County Court Judge Karen Wilutis, and found guilty of three counts of first-degree criminal sexual act, Class B violent felonies; and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, the DA said.

He is due back in court for sentencing on March 25, where he faces up to 50 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision, Tierney said. He is being represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society.

"This defendant preyed upon his stepdaughter to satisfy his own twisted sexual desires," said Tierney. "First, I commend this young victim for her courage in contacting the police and then testifying at trial against her abuser. I also want to thank the jury for their attention in this case and for helping to ensure that this defendant is held accountable for his heinous crimes."