'Preyed On His Stepdaughter': LI Man Charged With Sexual Abuse: DA

AMITYVILLE, NY — A Long Island man has been found guilty of sexually abusing his stepdaughter for four years, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.

The man, 61, whose name is being withheld by the DA to protect the identity of the child, was found guilty of sexually abusing his stepdaughter for four years after a jury trial, the DA said.

"This defendant preyed upon his stepdaughter to satisfy his own desires," Tierney said. "Victims should know that it is never too late to report sexual abuse. Our office remains committed to providing steadfast support to survivors of sexual abuse and vigorously prosecuting their cases."

According to evidence established at trial, in 2013, the then 10-year-old victim moved in with her mother and stepfather. Within months, the defendant began to sexually abuse the victim, with his behavior eventually escalating to rape, the DA said.

As the victim got older, she tried to fight the defendant off during the abuse, which finally stopped when she was 14 years old, the DA said. But she did not tell anyone until years later because she was embarrassed by what happened and was afraid that she wouldn’t be believed, the DA said.

In 2023, the victim reported the abuse to law enforcement and her stepfather was arrested following an investigation, the DA said.

On April 29, the man was convicted of one count of first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, a Class B violent felony, after a jury trial heard before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis, the DA said. He is due back in court for sentencing on June 5 and faces up to 25 years in prison, the DA said.

He is being represented by John LoTurco who was not immediately available for comment.