AMITYVILLE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUALLY ABUSING TWO CHILDREN

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the guilty plea of defendant Ascencion Cruzsantamaria to sexually abusing two children on two separate occasions.

“This defendant manipulated his way into the rooms of these children and proceeded to take advantage of the fact that their parents were at work to sexually abuse them,” said Tierney. “Today’s plea holds this dangerous predator to account while, thankfully, sparing these young children from having to testify in court.”

Cruzsantamaria, 52, admitted that in August 2019, he knocked on the door of a seven-year-old victim and told the child that his mother requested he babysit him. Once inside, Cruzsantamaria sexually abused the boy, who immediately told his mother what happened when she returned home. He was arrested, indicted and, following an appeal of his bail to the Appellate Division, Second Department, in which his bail was lowered, he posted bail and was released.

After posting bail on the original indictment, the defendant returned to the same multi-family home in Amityville where he previously abused the first victim. By his guilty plea, Cruzsantamaria admitted that in December 2021, while on bail for the first indictment, he subjected a 10-year-old girl to sexual abuse at this same multi-family home.  The two victims were not related to the defendant or to each other. 

Cruzsantamaria pleaded guilty this afternoon to one count of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child before Suffolk County Court Judge Karen Wilutis. He will be sentenced to 13 years in prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision on June 16. Cruzsantamaria is being represented by Christopher Cassar, Esq.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eric S. Aboulafia of the Homicide Bureau (formerly of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau) and Assistant District Attorney Dana Castaldo of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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