'Heinous Crimes': LI Man Sentenced After Raping Girlfriend: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — A 23-year-old Brentwood man, who's identity is being withheld to protect the victim, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing his girlfriend and stealing her electronic devices to prevent her from calling for help, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.

"Today’s sentencing reflects the gravity of this defendant’s heinous crimes. No one should ever suffer such trauma for exercising their right to leave a relationship," Tierney said. "My office remains steadfast in our commitment to holding preparators of intimate partner violence accountable. We encourage anyone who has been victimized to contact the Suffolk County Police Department or the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office."

According to evidence at trial, the defendant had been in a relationship with the victim for around five years, but she had been planning to end the relationship due to her belief that the defendant was using drugs.

The DA said that early in the morning on April 12, 2024, the defendant woke up angry, pinned the victim down on their bed and strangled her, causing her to break several nails while trying to get his hands off her neck. The defendant told the victim that if she wasn’t going to be with him, then she wasn’t going to be with anyone before pulling her clothes off and forcibly sexually abusing her, the DA said.

The victim begged him to stop and even vomited from the attack, but the defendant did not stop, the DA said. Afterwards, the defendant took all the victim’s electronic devices, including her phone, iWatch, and iPad, and left with them, the DA said. Since the victim couldn't contact the police, she went to her mother’s house and reported the incident to law enforcement, the DA said. The police recovered the victim’s stolen property from the defendant at the time of his arrest later that day, the DA said.

On March 20, the defendant was found guilty after a bench trial heard before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei and charged with one count of first-degree rape, a Class B violent felony; two counts of first-degree criminal sexual acts, Class B violent felonies; one count of aggravated sexual abuse, a Class B violent felony; one count of first-degree sexual abuse, a Class D violent felony; one count of third-degree rape, a Class E felony; two counts of third-degree criminal sexual act, Class E felonies; one count of third-degree grand larceny, a Class E felony; one count of criminal obstruction of breathing, a Class A misdemeanor; and one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief, a Class A misdemeanor, the DA said.

On May 21, Mazzei sentenced the defendant to 20 years in prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision and he is also required to register as a sex offender, the DA said. The defendant is being represented by Daniel Rodgers who was not immediately available for comment.