NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A man, whose identity remains confidential, was extradited from El Salvador and arrested for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting his teen stepdaughter nearly two decades ago, the Suffolk County D.A. announced on Thursday.
The suspect, 47, allegedly raped and assaulted his 14-year-old stepdaughter, and then fled to El Salvador after the abuse was first discovered in 2003, prosecutors said.
The investigation revealed that the suspect started this abuse in March 2002, when he reportedly locked the young girl in a room and forcibly raped her, prosecutors said.
This abuse continued until June 2003 until the assaulted teen told a friend about the abuse and her young friend recorded a conversation between herself and the suspect in which he admitted to having intercourse with his stepdaughter and taking her for an abortion after she became pregnant, prosecutors said.
The survivor's friend later gave that recording to her own mother, who shared it with the survivor’s mother.
After learning about the abuse of her daughter, the survivor’s mother confronted the suspect and he ran away from the U.S. before the police were notified.
In 2021, the Suffolk County D.A.'s Office found that the defendant may be living in El Salvador. A coordinated effort between the D.A.'s office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Suffolk County Police detectives led to the suspect's extradition on Nov. 1.
The defendant was arraigned on Thursday and was remanded without bail.
He will appear in court on Dec. 15.
“There is no safe place to hide for those who prey upon children,” D.A. Raymond Tierney said. “No matter how long it takes, we will do everything in our power to find you and bring you back to Suffolk County to be held accountable for your actions.”
The man faces charges including rape, sodomy, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.