PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release on July 19, 2006

Contact: William J. Smith (718) 556-7150
William.Smith@rcda.nyc.gov

D.A. Donovan: Man Indicted on Sex Abuse Charges After Victim Attends Child Abuse Awareness Presentation at School
Jonathan Moreno,20, Charged with 2 Counts of 1st Degree Sexual Abuse and 1 Count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child for May 2006 Abuse

     STATEN ISLAND, NY - Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. today announced the filing of a Grand Jury indictment against Jonathan Moreno, (DOB: 8/31/1985), of Sands Street, Brooklyn. Moreno has been charged with two counts of Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree, a Class D felony, and a Class A misdemeanor charge of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The sex abuse charges carry a top penalty of up to 7 years in prison on each count.

     It is alleged that on at least two occasions, in May 2006, that the defendant, a relative of the 9 year old victim, touched the inside of the girl’s vagina in her Staten Island home. The victim reported the abuse following a presentation of the Child Abuse Prevention Program, (ChildAbusePreventionProgram.org) conducted at PS 14, Tompkins Avenue, on June 9, 2006. The allegations made by the girl were promptly referred to the NYC Administration for Children’s Services and led to the indictment filed today.

     Partial funding to bring the program into Staten Island schools was provided by District Attorney Donovan. (http://rcda.nyc.gov/pressreleases/2006/pr05122006.htm) District Attorney Donovan stated, “Victims of child abuse are often the most reluctant to come forward and to report these crimes – usually out of fear, embarrassment, or they simply don’t know it is wrong for adults to touch them in this way. I am grateful that this courageous little girl came forward to spare herself and others further abuse. I am also grateful to the women and men of the Child Abuse Prevention Program for the work that they do in helping our children and assisting law enforcement in getting child abusers away from our kids.”

     The defendant was also arrested in Brooklyn on July 6, 2006 for alleged abuse against the same victim as well as her 5 year-old brother. He has been indicted by the Kings County District Attorney’s office on two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the 1st Degree, and one count each of Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree.

     The defendant was arraigned Wednesday afternoon before Richmond Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Rooney. He is being held on $20,000 bail and is due back in court on July 31, 2006 for a conference.

      The case in Staten Island is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren-Brooke Eisen of Sex Crimes/Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Yolanda L. Rudich, Bureau Chief. The defendant is represented by Carole Siegel, Esq.

     The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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