Not Guilty Plea In Indictment Related To Case Of Missing Long Island Girl: Report

EAST PATCHOGUE, NY — One of the men arrested in connection with the case of an East Patchogue teen who was missing for 25 days in December pleaded not guilty to charges in a new indictment during an arraignment on Monday, Newsday reported.

Sixty-one-year-old Islip resident Robert Eccleston does not face any new charges in a superseding indictment unsealed last week, so his appearance in court on Monday was a formality, according to the outlet.

Eccleston, who has been charged with second-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child, online court records show.

He has been ordered to remain in custody in lieu of $1 million bail, $3 million bond, or $10 million partially secured bond, according to the outlet.

Patch has reached out to his attorney, Jason Bassett of Central Islip, for comment.

Eccleston is due back in court on April 30, according to Newsday.

In the superseding indictment, 11 people, including Daniel Soto and Anthony Wright, have been charged in connection with the teen's disappearance, News 12 reported.

Soto, 36, and Wright, 40, are charged with rape and endangering the welfare of a child, and Wright, is accused of aggravated patronizing a minor for prostitution, according to the outlet.

The crimes are reported to have happened at Wright's Amityville home on Silverpine Drive, the outlet reported.

Out of the 13 people reportedly arrested in connection with the case, 10 are men and three women.

The first arrest in the case was that of Francis Buckheit, of East Islip, his defense attorney Danielle Marie Papa of Hauppauge said.

The second person arrested was Bunice Knight, 47, of Copiague, with investigators alleging he had sex with the girl inside of his house hours before she was found, according to reports.

Others arrested reportedly included Daniel Burke, 63, of Bohemia, and Eccleston, who were reportedly arrested with investigators alleging they kidnapped the teen and held her at their homes.

A 20-year-old from Medford, Kevin McDonald, was also reportedly arrested in connection with the case.

Two women were also reportedly charged on Jan. 24 with child trafficking in the case — Elizabeth Hunter, 34, of Islip, and Jacquelyn Comiskey, 52, of Bellport — for using the teen for money and drugs from men.

Seven men and two women will answer a 75-count indictment containing updated charges, including child sex trafficking, kidnapping, and rape, Newsday reported.

Thirty-five-year-old Bellport resident Alton Harrell, who is alleged to have picked the teen up at her house on Dec. 9, faces the most serious upgrade with a new top charge of first-degree kidnapping, the outlet reported, citing court records.

Other arrests in connection with the case include that of Ralph Knowles, 63, and Rebecca Browell, 48, of Brentwood.

Online court records show that the nine previously indicted in connection with the case includes not only Knowles, but Buckheit, Eccleston, Burke, Harrell, McDonald, Hunter, Knight, and Comiskey.

Also previously arrested in the case was DeShaun McClean, a 42-year-old mental health worker, has been accused of having sexual contact with the teen between Jan. 9 and Jan. 23 at a children's mental health facility that she was staying at in Suffolk after she was found, according to News 12.

Daniel Soto, 36, of Bay Shore, was the 12th person arrested on a felony charge of second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

Editor's note: The teen's name is being withheld to protect her identity as a minor.