Maximum 50-Year Sentence For Rape, Sexual Abuse Of Child

YONKERS, NY — A Yonkers man who terrorized a child for years, beginning when the victim was just 11 years old, was given the maximum sentence for his crimes.

Yonkers resident Virgilio Cruz, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday to the maximum 50 years in prison, two consecutive 25-year sentences, following his conviction last month for repeated sexual conduct with a child and rape, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced today.

"Today, this defendant was held to account for horrific crimes committed against a vulnerable child," Rocah said. "We hope the victim, who was extraordinarily brave and testified in court, can begin their journey to healing and feeling safe. My Office and I remain committed to bringing sexual predators to justice and protecting victims from sexual violence."

Starting in 2019, when the victim was 11 years old, and continuing into 2021, Cruz subjected the child to sexual intercourse repeatedly, in some cases, while the victim was asleep.

During a separate incident, when the victim was 14 years old, Cruz pinned down and raped the victim, after a struggle.

The victim told a parent about the rape and history of sexual abuse. When Cruz was confronted by the parent, he tried to stab himself with a kitchen knife and the police were called.

The Yonkers Police Department arrested Cruz on September 23, 2021.

In a statement made to the court, the victim explained the impact of the sexual abuse by Cruz.

"You ruined my childhood," the victim told the court. "I felt horrible for so long... I didn’t want to be around people. I was numb.... I never knew what you would do next or what more you were capable of... The two emotions I felt constantly were fear and sadness. You had no right to do what you did to me. After today, I won’t ever think of you again... After today, you are nothing to me."

After a weeklong trial, a jury found Cruz guilty of a course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, rape in the first degree, and rape in the second degree.

Cruz will also be subject to 20 years of post-release supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Child Abuse Bureau Chief Christine Hatfield and Assistant District Attorney Charlotte Gudis, both of the Special Prosecutions Division.