SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY – A Center Moriches man is facing numerous charges after being accused of sexually abusing his stepdaughter for a decade, starting when she was seven.
The defendant, whose name is withheld to protect the identity of the minor victim, was arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis on Wednesday.
According to the investigation, the defendant started abusing his stepdaughter at seven years old, escalating to more aggressive sexual behavior over time. The abuse was revealed when the child begged her mother not to leave her alone with the defendant.
The mother and daughter then devised a plan, catching the defendant in the act.
Among the charges, the defendant faces one count of Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child, a Class A-II felony, and several counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony. The defendant has been remanded, and the case is due to return to court on July 27.