Southold man sentenced to 50 years for child abuse

A Southold man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing two children he was meant to care for, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. The 41-year-old, who is not being named to protect the identities of the victims, was also sentenced to 20 years of post-release supervision in the child abuse case.

The ruling came after a jury found him guilty last month of sexually abusing his 5-year-old niece and sexually abusing his ex-fiancée’s 9-year-old child over the course of three years, according to the DA. 

“This sentence of 30 years in prison for the sexual abuse of two innocent children is well-deserved,” Mr. Tierney said. “Let this lengthy sentence serve as notice to anyone who thinks that they can harm children in Suffolk County and get away with it, that they are sadly mistaken. These children were extremely brave throughout this process, and I hope that this conviction will help with the healing process.”

The evidence at trial established that in April 2021, the defendant molested his niece while watching a movie at his girlfriend’s apartment, according to Mr. Tierney. That night, the victim told her mother what happened, and her mother reported the abuse to the Southold Town Police Department.

During the police investigation, a child of the defendant’s ex-fiancée also reported having been repeatedly raped by the defendant between 2015 and 2018 when the child was 9 to 12 years old, according to Mr. Tierney. 

The child abuse occurred while the defendant was alone with the child while the victim’s mother was at work. The defendant threatened to hurt the family if the victim told anyone about the abuse, so the child kept it a secret. The child disclosed the abuse to a therapist after the investigation into the abuse of the defendant’s niece began.