BELLPORT, NY – Eric Freeman, a 48-year-old resident of Bellport, has been found guilty on multiple charges after a jury trial led by Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. The charges include four counts of Burglary and one count of Rape. Freeman targeted four homes, burglarizing them and committing sexual crimes against the occupants. He also attempted to rape another woman that he had harassed at a different location.
District Attorney Tierney expressed his concern over Freeman’s actions, highlighting that he specifically targeted women who were alone in their homes. Freeman, a Level Three sex offender, had previously been out on bail for failing to register as a sex offender. Tierney emphasized that Freeman’s conviction ensures the safety of women and all Suffolk County residents.
The evidence presented during the trial revealed that between June 22 and July 16, 2021, Freeman unlawfully entered four homes in Suffolk County while they were occupied by women.
The first incident occurred on June 22, 2021, when Freeman entered a Bay Shore residence where a 16-year-old girl was alone. Freeman sexually assaulted the teenager and threatened her life when she cried out for help. He then fled the scene.
On June 25, 2021, Freeman attempted to enter a home in Bellport while harassing a woman inside. He claimed to be searching for water. A week later, on July 1, 2021, Freeman returned to the same house, illegally entered it, and attempted to rape the woman who lived alone in a small apartment attached to the main house. The woman managed to dissuade Freeman by offering him money. Before leaving, however, Freeman tried to strangle her. On July 4, 2021, Freeman returned to the woman’s home to harass her further.
On July 12, 2021, Freeman unlawfully entered another Bellport residence while a mother and her 11-year-old son were present. He stole money and personal belongings from the house. Later that day, Freeman was arrested by Suffolk County Police officers, who found several stolen items in his possession. At his arraignment, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office requested bail of $75,000 cash, $150,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond. However, Judge Edward J. Hennessey of the Suffolk County District Court released Freeman on his own recognizance, ordering him to wear a GPS ankle monitor. It was later discovered that Freeman had not charged the ankle monitor, rendering its tracking capabilities useless.
Finally, on July 16, 2021, Freeman broke into a residence in Huntington Station where a woman was present with her 7-year-old daughter.
One of the incidents involved Freeman breaking into a home, stealing money, and assaulting a woman while her child helplessly watched. Thankfully, the mother and child’s screams alerted neighbors, and Freeman fled the scene. He was later apprehended by Suffolk Police.
As if these crimes weren’t enough, Freeman is also facing a separate charge of Conspiracy in the Second Degree. While in jail awaiting trial for his initial offenses, he allegedly attempted to smuggle fentanyl into the correctional facility through his unsuspecting defense attorney. The outcome of this case is still pending.
Freeman’s criminal history is just as troubling. He had previously been classified as a Level Three sex offender due to a conviction for a juvenile offense in 1990. In June 2021, he was found guilty of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender. Shockingly, at the time of his latest crimes, he had been released on his own recognizance while awaiting sentencing for this offense.
On February 9, 2024, Freeman faced a jury trial presided over by Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz. The jury found him guilty on multiple counts, including first-degree burglary, first-degree rape, criminal sexual acts, attempted rape, assault, sexual abuse, criminal obstruction of breathing, endangering the welfare of a child, harassment, and criminal trespass. The severity and number of charges reflect the gravity of Freeman’s actions.
Freeman’s sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2024. If the court deems him a persistent felony offender, he could face life imprisonment. His legal representation consists of John Halverson, Esq., and Christopher Gioe, Esq.
The prosecution of this case falls to Assistant District Attorney Tara Laterza of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos of the Homicide Bureau. Detectives Alberto Acevedo and Michael Oberg from the Suffolk County Police Department have provided invaluable investigative support.
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