RIVERHEAD, NY – On Wednesday, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that a 40-year-old Guatemalan national has been convicted following a jury trial for repeatedly sexually abusing his stepdaughter over a five-year period.
What this child endured inside her own home is unimaginable,” said District Attorney Tierney. “It was because of her extraordinary bravery and strength that justice was achieved for her and her family.”
The evidence presented at trial established that in 2014, the victim moved to Riverhead with her mother and began living in a room inside a residence shared with the defendant, who was her stepfather. The victim’s mother routinely left for work at approximately 3:30 a.m., six days a week, while the defendant remained home until about 5:30 a.m. before leaving for his own job.
The victim testified that when she was six years old, the defendant began waking her after her mother left for work and carrying her into his bed, where he sexually abused her. The abuse continued for several years. Due to her young age and trust in the defendant, the victim did not initially understand that the conduct was wrong.
When the victim was nine years old, she attended a school presentation on appropriate and inappropriate touching conducted by a school social worker. At that point, she realized for the first time that the defendant’s conduct was abusive. The victim testified that she began telling the defendant to stop. While the abuse became less frequent, it continued.
The final incident occurred in 2019. The victim did not immediately disclose the abuse because the defendant threatened her and she feared breaking up her family. By 2023, although the defendant was no longer living with the family, the trauma from the abuse was significantly affecting the victim’s emotional well-being and academic performance. The victim then disclosed the abuse to her mother and law enforcement.
Following an investigation by the Southampton Town Police Department, the defendant was arrested on October 19, 2023. On December 17, 2025, after a jury trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis, the defendant was convicted of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child, a Class B violent felony. He is scheduled to return to court on February 4, 2026, for sentencing, where he faces up to 25 years in state prison, followed by up to 20 years of post-release supervision.
The defendant is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer against the defendant, and he will be transferred to ICE custody upon completion of his sentence. The defendant was previously deported from the United States in 2006.
Key Facts and Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Name withheld (Guatemalan national) |
| Age | 40 |
| Immigration Status | Guatemalan national; previously deported from the U.S. in 2006 |
| Relationship to Victim | Stepfather |
| Victim | Female minor (stepdaughter) |
| Location of Abuse | Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York |
| Timeframe of Abuse | Approximately 2014 – 2019 |
| Victim’s Age During Abuse | Began at age 6 |
| Disclosure | Victim disclosed abuse in 2023 |
| Investigating Agency | Southampton Town Police Department |
| Arrest Date | October 19, 2023 |
| Trial Type | Jury trial |
| Verdict Date | December 17, 2025 |
| Conviction | Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child |
| Felony Classification | Class B violent felony |
| Presiding Judge | Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis |
| Sentencing Date | February 4, 2026 (scheduled) |
| Maximum Sentence | Up to 25 years in state prison |
| Post-Release Supervision | Up to 20 years |
| Legal Representation | Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County |
| ICE Detainer | Lodged by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement |
| Federal Custody | Defendant to be transferred to ICE custody after serving sentence |
The defendant was not being publicly identified by the District Attorney’s Office in order to protect the identity of the child victim.
