LI Man Sentenced To 42 Years In Prison For Child Sexual Assault

BRENTWOOD, NY - A Brentwood man was sentenced on Thursday to 42 years in prison for raping a child under 10-years-old between 2011 and 2012, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini.

Jose Cruz, 52, was found guilty by a jury trial on March 7 of three counts of first degree criminal sexual act, three counts of first degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

On three separate occasions between 2011 and 2012, Cruz engaged in sexual conduct with a child who was under 10 years old at the time, the DA said.

The victim told a family member about the abuse in August 2018 and the family notified police.

Cruz was arrested on Aug. 15, 2018 and confessed to sexually abusing the victim, the DA said. He also wrote an apology letter to the victim.

"It took a tremendous amount of courage for this young victim to first come forward about the horrifying sexual abuse committed by this defendant, and then to testify against him at trial," Sini said.

Cruz’s trial began on Feb. 27 and lasted one week. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning a verdict of guilty.

He was sentenced Thursday by Acting Suffolk County Court Judge Karen M. Wilutis to 42 years in prison with 20 years of post-release supervision.