NEW YORK (1010 WINS/ WCBS 880 NEWS) – A Long Island man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to raping his five-year-old daughter nearly three years ago, according to prosecutors.
The suspect, 45, from Brentwood, was not named to protect the identity of the child victim.
"Today, the rights of this young victim have been vindicated," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said. "This defendant disgraced his role as a father when he engaged in the unconscionable abuse of his own daughter."
On July 26, 2021, the suspect was spending time with his daughter at his apartment. The victim's mother asked a friend to check on the father after she spoke with him on the phone and suspected that he might have been drinking, according to court documents.
The family member went into the suspects home and saw the man actively sexually abusing the child, according to the document.
The family member immediately called 911 and the man was arrested.
The suspect pleaded guilty to rape in the first degree, criminal sexual act in the first degree, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child, prosecutors said.
A sexual assault forensic examination was conducted which confirmed DNA evidence of abuse, according to court documents.
The defendant is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Feb. 9, where he is expected to receive a 16-year prison sentence and 20 years of supervision after release.
"I want to thank the Suffolk County Police Department for their investigation in this case and the prosecutors for their relentless pursuit of justice for the victim," Tierney said. "Now this defendant will be held accountable for his reprehensible crimes."
