Victim Left For Dead After Rape Behind Dumpster Near Amityville Deli: DA

AMITYVILLE, NY — A 32-year-old man has been indicted on multiple violent felony charges after prosecutors say he raped an unconscious man behind a dumpster outside an Amityville restaurant and then beat him so severely he was left for dead.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Jose Ignacio Bonilla Garcia, a Honduran national, was arraigned Monday on two counts of first-degree rape and one count of second-degree assault, DA Ray Tierney said.

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Prosecutors say the attack unfolded in the early morning hours of March 28 outside Esperanza Deli Café in Amityville.

At around 11:43 p.m. on March 27, Bonilla Garcia arrived at the deli, where he first encountered the victim, authorities said.

Around 4 a.m., both men exited the restaurant separately and began speaking outside. During that interaction, the victim — who was intoxicated — suddenly collapsed, prosecutors said.

Authorities say Bonilla Garcia then dragged the unresponsive man behind a dumpster at the rear of the property and raped him.

During the assault, the victim regained consciousness and attempted to fight back, the DA said. Prosecutors say Bonilla Garcia responded by punching the victim and striking him with a large piece of wood until he became unresponsive again.

He then fled the scene, leaving the victim severely injured in the parking lot, according to the DA’s office.

The victim was discovered hours later by a delivery driver, who called 911, officials said. He was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and underwent a sexual assault forensic exam, the DA said. Investigators recovered evidence from that exam, prosecutors said.

Surveillance footage also captured both the sexual assault and the subsequent beating, according to authorities.

Following the attack, investigators identified Bonilla Garcia as a suspect and determined he had fled New York on a Greyhound bus, prosecutors said.

He was later located in Rosenberg, Texas, where U.S. Marshals apprehended him as he was heading toward the southern border, the DA said.

He was extradited back to Suffolk County with assistance from multiple agencies, including the Fort Bend District Attorney’s Office, the DA said.

Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis ordered Bonilla Garcia held without bail during the pendency of the case.

If convicted on the top count, he faces up to 25 years in prison, prosecutors said.

He is scheduled to return to court on May 28.

The Legal Aid Society is representing Bonilla Garcia. A request for comment was not immediately returned.

Federal immigration authorities have also lodged a detainer, and Garcia may face deportation following the conclusion of the criminal case, officials said.

“Accountability for perpetrators of sexual violence is not just a legal obligation, but also a moral one,” said Tierney. “My office will do everything in its power to ensure that those who commit such heinous acts are held accountable, not just for the sake of justice, but to protect others and to send a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated in Suffolk County. In addition to my prosecution team and the Suffolk County Police Department, I would like to thank the Fort Bend District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals for their assistance in bringing this defendant to justice.”