CENTRAL ISLIP, New York (WABC) — A West Islip man is accused of rape after the 13-year-old victim reported the alleged sexual assault to her middle school guidance counselor.
In new surveillance video obtained by Eyewitness News, a blue truck drives up and a girl gets inside.
According to police, 38-year-old Michael Liontonia was driving a blue pickup truck and called the victim on Monday night.
She met him at a gas station on the LIE in Holtsville before he drove her to a secluded area in Medford and sexually assaulted her, officials said.
“The charges are rape in the first degree, my client is adamant that there was no sexual activity whatsoever,” said defense attorney Michael Brown.
Prosecutors said in the courtroom Thursday that Liontonia told the victim to get in the back of his truck, and when she said no to him, he then allegedly raped her.
They did not know each other, according to police, but it is believed they met on social media.
“They met on a social media platform at which point they connected back and forth and then he actually called her,” said Suffolk County Police Department Chief of Detectives Sean Beran.
Police say the 13-year-old told her guidance counselor about the encounter and Liontonia was arrested on Wednesday at his West Islip home where he lives with his wife and twin 3-year-old girls.
Neighbors are stunned.
“I can’t believe that this is going on in my neighborhood, I never would have thought that,” said Ashleigh Tanzman.
Liontonia was held on $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.
Police are asking if anyone believes they may have also been a victim to contact Suffolk Police Sixth Squad detectives at 631-854-8652.
