NYS Employee Charged With Raping Girl, 15, At Suffolk Residential Facility: DA

DIX HILLS, NY — A youth support specialist at a state residential facility in Dix Hills was indicted on rape charges in connection with sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl living at the center, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said Monday.

Ovzie Cannon, 40, of Queens, while working at the Brentwood Residential Center for Girls, was accused of giving edibles to a teenager and sexually abusing her, Tierney said.

"This defendant miserably violated his duty of care to the victim by allegedly taking advantage of his position of trust and authority in order to satisfy his sexual desires," Tierney said in a news release. "No child should ever have to endure sexual abuse, let alone at a facility in which they should feel safe. My office will always seek justice for victims of sexual abuse by aggressively prosecuting sexual predators such as this defendant."

Cannon worked at the center, a facility run by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, between January and February, officials said. The facility serves female youth, usually between the ages of 12 and 18, who have been tried as juvenile delinquents.

Cannon was assigned to monitor the teenager's room, authorities said. Cannon, more than once, gave the girl edibles, which are food products that contain cannabinoids, and then had sexual intercourse with her, prosecutors said.

Cannon was arraigned Monday on two counts of third-degree rape (a class E felony), two counts of third-degree criminal sexual act (a class E felony) and endangering the welfare of a child (a class A misdemeanor), Tierney said. He was ordered held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $2.5 million partially secured bond.

Cannon is being represented by Pierre Bazile.

"Mr. Cannon maintains his innocence, and we will defer to the judicial process and hold the people to their burden of proof," Bazile told Patch.

He is due back in court on May 2.