Two more Suffolk County adults have been arrested and charged in connection with the kidnapping, rape and sex trafficking of a 14-year-old Patchogue girl during her 25-day disappearance, law enforcement confirmed.
Eleven suspects — eight men and three women — have so far been charged with crimes relating to sexual assault and endangering the child’s welfare.
Ralph Knowles, 63, of Brentwood pleaded not guilty on Thursday in Suffolk County First District Court to second-degree attempted rape, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child, according to court records. He was also slapped with a number of drug possession and intent to distribute charges, all of which he pleaded not guilty to.
Court records also indicate that 48-year-old Rebecca Browell, who has the same address as Knowles, was arrested and pleaded not guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and a bevy of drug charges.
Newsday reported that Knowles provided the teen with crack cocaine while she was held aboard a 56-foot boat docked in an Islip marina from Dec. 13 until she was found on Jan. 3.
While on the boat, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Anthony Roman-Lann told the judge in court on Thursday, Knowles allegedly forcibly touched the girl and “made degrading comments to her, pushing her down on a couch and asking her to perform oral sex on him, to which she said, ‘No,'” according to Newsday‘s report.
Browell is accused of providing narcotics to the child and was aware that the girl was having sex with men, the report states.
Suffolk declares war on child sex trafficking with multi-agency plan
The girl, who was missing since entering a car that pulled up in front of her home on Dec. 9 until she was found on Jan. 3, has been receiving in-patient treatment at a state facility.
Aide arrested
This week, Deshaun McClean, an aide at the facility where the girl is being treated and cared for, was arrested and accused of having criminal sexual conduct with the teen at the facility.
McClean, 42, of Deer Park pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a person incapable of consent, as well as endangering the welfare of a child, at his arraignment Tuesday. The charges are related to incidents that occurred at the facility between Jan. 9 and Jan. 28, according to an earlier report.
Each of the other eight defendants have pleaded not guilty to their respective criminal charges. Seven in the group are being held in Suffolk County jails; the other has posted bail and was released.
Kevin McDonald, 20, of Bellport was arraigned last week on charges of second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child.
The owner of the boat where the girl was found, Francis Buckheit, 64, of East Islip, is being held on rape and kidnapping charges, and faces life in jail if convicted of kidnapping. Additionally, Bunice Knight, 47, of Copiague was charged with rape (he has been released on bail); and Jacquelyn Comiskey, 52, of Bellport and Elizabeth Hunter, 34, of Islip were both charged with child sex trafficking.
Daniel Burke, 63, of Bohemia; Robert Eccleston, 61, of Islip; and Alton Harrell, 35, of Bellport are charged with raping the teen during the early days of her disappearance.
Greater Long Island is not identifying the girl because she is a minor and the victim of sex crimes.
Top photo: Mugshots of the first eight suspects allegedly involved in the kidnapping, rape and sex trafficking case of a 14-year-old Patchogue girl, who went missing for 25 days. Top row, from left: Robert Eccleston, 61, of Islip; Jacquelyn Comiskey, 52, of Bellport; Alton Harrell, 35, of Bellport; and Francis Buckheit, 64, of East Islip. Bottom row, from left: Bunice Knight, 47, of Copiague; Daniel Burke, 63, of Bohemia; Kevin McDonald, 20, of Bellport; and Elizabeth Hunter, 34, of Islip (Images provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office).
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