Suffolk Man Who 'Terrorized Teen' In Break-In Pleads Guilty

RIVERSIDE, NY — A Farmingville man who terrorized a 14-year-old girl by dragging her out of a bathroom in a Middle Island home break-in pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary on Thursday, prosecutors said.

Shortly after coming home from school back in October 2021, the 14-year-old received a call from her mother, who told her that she received a Ring doorbell notification showing that a strange man was at their front door, prosecutors said.

The child locked herself in a bathroom after hearing banging on the back door. Her mother called 911, and the girl heard the man, later identified as Seyquan Patron, rummaging through her home.

He then pushed open the bathroom door where the girl was hiding, grabbed her by the wrist, and took her phone, before dragging her out of the room, according to prosecutors.

The man continued rummaging through the home, allowing the girl to run downstairs as she tried to escape, but he chased her down the stairs. She eventually ran out the front door and to arriving police officers, prosecutors said.

Patron bolted out of the back of the house and ran away, according to prosecutors.

A cell phone recovered in the home helped identify him and also contained evidence of his planning of the crime, prosecutors said, adding, that additional evidence included the matching of Patron’s DNA to samples found on items, including a mask, hat, and gloves, which were found during the investigation by the police.

Patron also pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.

District Attorney Ray Tierney said Patron not only broke into the home, but "also terrorized the 14-year-old child" who was home at the time.

“Thanks to the great work and quick response from the SCPD, we were able to hold this defendant responsible for his actions.”

Patron, who was convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree attempted burglary in 2012, is considered "a prior violent felony offender." He will be sentenced on Jan. 3, 2023.

His attorney, Matthew Tuohy of Huntington, declined comment on the case.