'Vile Crime': LI Man Found Guilty Of Attempting To Rape Niece, 9: DA

FLANDERS, NY — A Flanders man was found guilty Tuesday of attempting to rape his niece, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said..

The identity of the man, 33, is not being released in order to protect the identity of the child, the DA said.

The evidence at trial established that on December 19, 2021, the victim, who was nine years old at the time, was left sleeping at her home while her parents took the family dog to the veterinarian, Tierney said.

The girl's uncle rented a room in the same house where she and her family lived, Tierney said. While the girl's parents were out of the home, he entered the child’s room and asked her if she wanted her back scratched, the DA said.

When the child responded that she did, the defendant led the victim into his bedroom and, after
briefly scratching her back, began to sexually abuse her, Tierney said.

When the child's parents arrived home shortly thereafter, she told them what her uncle
had done, the DA said.

They took their daughter to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where she had a sexual assault forensic examination, Tierney said. Her undergarments were collected and tested, revealing the presence of the defendant’s DNA, the DA said. He was then arrested by the Southampton Police Department, the DA said.

On Tuesday, he was found guilty of the following charges after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei, Tierney said: First-degree attempted rape, a Class C violent felony; first-degree sexual abuse, a Class D violent felony; and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

He is due back in court for sentencing on February 27 and faces up to 15 years in prison and 15 years of post-release supervision, the DA said. He is being represented by Christian Killoran.

"We are obviously disappointed in the verdict," Killoran said. "My client maintained his innocence since he was charged. We felt that the evidence supported his innocence and provided ample reasonable doubt. In any event, we hope that the families affected can begin to heal from the fissures that have occurred since the charges were filed."

Tierney added: "This defendant took advantage of the innocence of his young niece while her parents were momentarily out of the house. I thank the jury for their verdict of guilt, which ensures that the defendant will be held accountable for his vile crime. We recognize the great difficulty that sexual assault victims face in coming forward, especially minors, so my office is equipped with specially trained prosecutors, victim advocates, and a facility dog who are dedicated to helping seek justice in these cases."