Suffolk Man Raped Woman After Drugging Her On Date: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Centereach man was indicted after he was accused of drugging and raping a woman while recording it, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said on Friday.

Arthur Oneal, 36, was charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse.

"Accountability for perpetrators of sexual abuse is not just a legal obligation, but also a moral one," Tierney said in a news release. "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 and empower survivors and to send a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated in Suffolk County."

On Dec. 9, Oneal brought the woman to his home in Centereach after drugging her with a sleep-aid while they were having drinks in Huntington, investigators said. Oneal then sexually assaulted the woman until she lost consciousness, prosecutors said.

The woman later woke up in a bed next to Oneal and saw blood on the sheets, officials said. The
woman went to a local hospital where a SANE examination was performed, which concluded that
she suffered recent sexual abuse, authorities said.

The Suffolk County Office of the Medical Examiner tested a sample of the woman's urine, which revealed that Zolpidiem, commonly known as Ambien, was present, the DA said. She did not voluntarily ingest Ambien before the urinalysis, officials said.

Detectives recovered videos and images from Oneal’s cell phone which show Oneal sexually assaulting the woman while she was unconscious, investigators said. Detectives also recovered bloody sheets and multiple pairs of women’s underwear from Oneal’s home, prosecutors said.

Oneal was arraigned Friday. He was ordered held on $500K cash, $1 million bond or $5 million partially-secured bond while his case pends. He is due back in court on March 11 and is being
represented by Michael Elbert.

Elbert did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.

"If you or someone you know believe you have been victimized by Arthur Oneal, please contact the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS," the DA's Office wrote.