Jose Romero raped a 6-year-old girl and paid her pocket change to keep it secret from her parents, prosecutors said. (Mugshot: Suffolk County Attorney’s Office)
A 34-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he admitted to raping a 6-year-old girl, then gave the victim pocket change and told her not to tell her parents what he was up to. had done to him, prosecutors said. .
Jose Romero was sentenced following a guilty plea in April on a first-degree rape charge, the Suffolk County prosecutor said in a news release. His sentence will be followed by 10 years of post-release supervision and he will have to register as a sex offender, officials said.
“Because of the bravery of this child, the defendant will go to jail where he cannot harm other children,” District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement. “Speaking out against an abuser, especially at such a young age, is a difficult task. However, it is a step that we encourage everyone who is victimized in Suffolk County to take so that we can keep our most vulnerable residents safe.
Despite Romero’s attempt to cover up his crime, the child immediately disclosed the abuse to his parents, who contacted police, prosecutors said.
The child was taken to the hospital where an exam would find DNA evidence linking Romero to the crime, authorities said.
Romero’s attorney, Chris Brocato, said in a statement to Law&Crime that his client felt “remorse toward the victim of his actions.”
“He was sexually abused as a child, and unfortunately the cycle of abuse continued,” Brocato said.
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