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Nine suspects charged in connection with the 25-day disappearance of a 14-year-old Patchogue girl are set to be arraigned Thursday on a Suffolk County grand jury indictment.
The arraignments will take place in Riverhead before acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis. Each of the defendants previously pleaded not guilty in district court.
A total of 12 suspects have been criminally charged in the case, facing a range of offenses, including first- and second-degree rape, kidnapping, child sex trafficking and endangering the welfare of a child. The three defendants who will not be arraigned Thursday in county court are Danny Soto, the most recent Suffolk resident charged, along with Deshaun McClean and Rebecca Browell.
Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney told Newsday that a superseding indictment including all 12 suspects is expected.
The nine suspects being arraigned Thursday include seven men and two women. All seven men face second-degree rape charges.
The disturbing case, which began with the girl’s disappearance outside her home on Dec. 9, has resulted in a spate of arrests spanning several weeks. Authorities have said the teen was held against her will aboard a 56-foot boat docked in Islip’s White Cap Marina from Dec. 13 until she was found on Jan. 3.
Prosecutors allege that 64-year-old Francis Buckheit — the boat’s owner and the first suspect arrested — raped and kidnapped the girl. He is charged with first- and second-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape.
Alton Harrell, 35, of Bellport is accused of picking the teen up in his car outside her home about 5 p.m. on Dec. 9, and taking her to a house on Doane Avenue in Bellport, where prosecutors allege he raped her. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping in the indictment, according to Newsday, in addition to earlier second-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape charges.
Jacquelyn Comiskey, 52, of Bellport, and Elizabeth Hunter, 34, of Islip, face charges of child sex trafficking. Daniel Burke, 63, of Bohemia, is charged with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape. Robert Eccleston, 61, of Islip is charged with second-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape.
Bunice Knight, 47, of Copiague — the only defendant free on bond — is charged with second-degree rape. He also faces a top charge of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
Kevin McDonald, 20, of Bellport, was previously arraigned in district court on second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child.
Ralph Knowles, 63, of Brentwood is reportedly charged in the indictment with rape, forcible touching, and endangering the welfare of a child.
12 suspects total
The suspects not in the current indictment include Soto, 36, of Bay Shore, who was arrested on Friday and charged with second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child. His defense attorney, Katherine Fernandez, told Greater Long Island that her client “adamantly denies the charges and reserves further comment at this time. However, there will be much more to this story.”
Also not in the indictment is McClean, 42, of Deer Park, an aide at the psychiatric facility where the girl was being treated after her rescue. He has been charged with criminal sexual conduct for allegedly touching the child inappropriately multiple times and for watching her engage in sexual activity inside the facility.
Browell, 48, who lives with Knowles, pleaded not guilty last Thursday to endangering the welfare of a child and a bevy of drug charges. She also is not named in the existing indictment.
Greater Long Island is not identifying the girl because she is a victim of sex crimes.
