A Queens Village father was sentenced to 25 years in prison for repeatedly raping his daughter when she was 10 years old and visiting during school breaks, and later after he became the custodial parent.
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A Queens Village man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a pattern of persistent and escalating sexual abuse against his young daughter, including intercourse, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.
According to the charges, the father initiated the sexual abuse with his then-10-year-old child during school break visits, then increased the assaults once he became her custodial parent.
The 60-year-old defendant was convicted by a jury of rape in the first degree, course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree and incest in the first degree on June 29, following a six-day trial. He was not named in order to protect the victim’s identity,
According to the charges and trial testimony, around May 2021, the defendant’s daughter began visiting the defendant from out of state during school breaks, such as summer vacation. In January 2022, the defendant called his then 10-year-old child into his bedroom. He removed her clothing and raped her. The abuse continued, approximately every few months, during custodial visits.
In July 2023, the defendant became the primary custodian of his then 11-year-old daughter and the child moved into his home. He raped her on a regular basis, sometimes multiple times a week. The victim disclosed the abuse to a family member and the defendant was arrested.
“This defendant violated the most fundamental duty a parent can hold by inflicting harm on his young daughter,” Katz said. “It is because the incredibly courageous survivor came forward that the defendant has now been held accountable for his reprehensible behavior.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Ira Margulis sentenced him on July 29 to 25 years in prison and 20 years of post-release supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.
“This jury conviction is a message to individuals who seek to abuse children in Queens County that they will be aggressively prosecuted by my office,” Katz said.