Man Gets 18 Years In Prison For Raping Woman Inside Wyandanch Home: DA

WYANDANCH, NY — A Wyandanch man was sentenced to 18 years in prison and 20 years of post-release supervision, after he pleaded guilty to raping a woman inside her home in September 2020, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

On Sept. 19, 2020, Joseph T. Johnson, 33, broke into a woman's residence in Wyandanch while she was inside, and then raped her, according to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution.

Following the break-in, the victim installed several surveillance cameras in and around the residence.

Two days later, on Sept. 21, 2020, the woman received an alert that her newly installed surveillance cameras had been turned off. She then saw that cameras were damaged or turned away from the home, and the wires had been cut, prosecutors said.

Video surveillance captured before the cameras were damaged showed Johnson, wearing white
face paint, inside the victim’s residence.

Johnson was subsequently arrested by members of the Suffolk County Police Department.

Upon further investigation, Johnson was determined to be the perpetrator of the rape through DNA testing, prosecutors said.

"This defendant subjected the victim to horrific violence and stole her sense of security that she once felt within her home. He was caught when he returned to the scene of the crime because the victim wisely set up video surveillance after being attacked," said Tierney. "I hope this sentence provides the victim a feeling of safety knowing that the defendant will be in prison where he can no longer hurt her, or anyone else, again."

On July 28, Johnson pleaded guilty before County Court Judge, the Honorable Karen M. Wilutis, to the charge of first-degree rape, officials said.

In addition to his sentencing, Johnson will be required to register as a sex offender.

Ian Fitzgerald, Jonson's attorney, declined to comment.