'Predator' Patchogue Man 'Will Spend Rest Of Life In Prison' For Sexual Abuse Of Daughter And Half-Sister: DA

RIVERSIDE, NY — A 38-year-old Patchogue man was sentenced to 75 years in prison for sexually abusing his daughter and his younger half-sister over nearly a decade, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

The man's name is not being released to protect the identity of his victims.

Patch has reached out to his attorney, John Halverson of Patchogue, for comment.

Tierney said that the sentence of 75 years ensures "this predator will spend the rest of his life in prison, where he can no longer harm another child."

“While no prison term can undo the profound trauma inflicted upon these survivors, this outcome represents justice and, we hope, provides some measure of closure," he added. "This sentence affirms that our community will not tolerate those who prey upon the most vulnerable among us."

In September 2023, the man began to sexually abuse his daughter when she was just five years old and starting kindergarten, and the abuse continued for several years, with him telling her not to tell anyone about it because doing so would ruin their family, prosecutors said.

The last incident occurred right before the girl's 14th birthday when the man climbed into her bed, raped her, and told her to be quiet when she said she was going to tell her mother, according to prosecutors.

On Aug. 29, 2021, the man also sexually abused a second victim, his then 15-year-old half-sister, who was spending the night at his house after having come from Manhattan with their father for a visit, prosecutors said, adding that while she slept on an air mattress, he crawled in next to her and held her body in a leg lock to keep her from moving as he pulled off her clothing and raped her.

When the older victim reported the incident to the police, and an investigation began into that abuse,
the younger girl gained the courage to come forward about the abuse that she had endured for
years, resulting in the man being charged for his conduct toward both children, according to prosecutors.

A jury convicted the man in November, on charges, including two counts of first-degree rape, as well as one count each of second-and third-degree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act, which are all felonies, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, prosecutors said.