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West Islip Man Charged in Rape of 13-Year-Old

Detectives say a report to a school guidance counselor set off the investigation.

Overview

  • Suffolk County police arrested 38-year-old Michael Liontonia after a Sixth Squad investigation and charged him with first- and second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child.
  • According to police, the girl told her school counselor the man picked her up at a Holtsville gas station, drove to a secluded area, assaulted her in his vehicle, and returned her to the gas station.
  • Police say Liontonia is in custody and scheduled for arraignment as the case moves into the early court process.
  • Investigators are asking anyone with information or who believes they were a victim to contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
  • School counselors are mandated reporters who must alert authorities to suspected abuse, which explains how this case reached detectives and why more tips could surface.