CENTER MORICHES, NY—Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the sentencing of a 36-year-old man from Center Moriches, who has been convicted of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim’s identity, will serve 20 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision after his guilty plea earlier this year.
The abuse began in 2014 when the victim was just seven years old and continued until 2023. Throughout this period, the defendant subjected his stepdaughter to severe sexual abuse, including forced intercourse and anal rape. He also coerced the child into producing and sending him obscene images, threatening her with more frequent abuse if she did not comply.
The case came to light in May 2023, when the victim confided in her mother, leading to a plan that exposed the defendant. The mother witnessed an attempted assault after pretending to leave for work, resulting in the man’s arrest.
The sentencing was handed down by Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis on July 29. District Attorney Tierney highlighted the gravity of the betrayal and trauma inflicted by the defendant, stating that while the sentence cannot undo the harm, it ensures the offender cannot harm others.