EHTPD: Woman Sexually Assaulted

A 33-year-old East Hampton resident was charged by East Hampton Town police with one of the most serious sexual assault charges under New York state’s criminal law, after allegedly choking a woman by pressing his forearm against her throat and forcibly compelling her to perform a sex act on him.

Fabian Camacho-Quiroz was charged Friday morning, October 11, with criminal sexual act in the first degree, a Class B felony, which is on the same level as rape in the first degree. A “criminal sex act,” under the law, involves forcibly compelled anal or oral sex.

Besides the felony charge, Camacho-Quiroz is facing a misdemeanor choking charge.

When the charges are at this level in alleged sexual violence cases, the courts and the police do not report the victim’s name.

According to East Hampton Town Police Detective Sgt. Daniel Toia, the two met at a bar on September 29.

The woman sought medical attention after the incident, and police were contacted. Detective Toia said that detectives used a rape kit, to take forensic samples for testing by the Suffolk County Crime Lab.

After the detective bureau completed its investigation, and was satisfied it had enough evidence to make the arrest, Camacho-Quiroz was spotted at a bank on Newtown Lane the Friday morning, October 11, and was taken into custody.

He was held at police headquarters until he could be arraigned the following day. His attorney for the arraignment, Rita Bonicelli, entered a denial to the felony charge, and a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor. About a half dozen friends and family members of Camacho-Quiroz were present in the courtroom.

During Camacho-Quiroz’s arraignment, he appeared confused several times when answering basic questions from Justice Steven Tekulsky, such as where he lived, and what he did for a living. He told the judge he has been at his present address for one month and has been in East Hampton for five years, having lived most of that time in the Oakview Highway trailer park. He said he is a self-employed landscaper. Camacho-Quiroz said all this through Ana Kestler, a court-certified translator who also heads the translation office in the county criminal courts building in Riverside.

Due to the very serious nature of the charge, Tekulsky said, he was setting bail at $60,000. Camacho-Quiroz remained in custody as of Columbus Day morning. The district attorney’s office has until Wednesday, October 16, to indict Camacho-Quiroz remained in custody as of Tuesday morning October 15. The district attorney’s office has until Wednesday, October 16, to indict Camacho-Quiroz or release him, if he still hasn’t made bail.

If a grand jury does indict Camacho-Quiroz, it may add additional charges.

A criminal sex act crime in the first degree is considered a violent felony, and carries an automatic minimum five to 25 years in state prison upon conviction.

t.e@indyeastend.com