A West Islip man is facing serious sex crime charges after a 13-year-old reported she was assaulted following a pickup at a Holtsville gas station, according to Suffolk County police. The child told a school guidance counselor she had been driven to a secluded area, sexually assaulted inside a vehicle, then taken back to the station. Detectives from the department’s Sixth Squad launched an investigation and took a suspect into custody.
Arrest and Charges
Following the investigation, Suffolk County police on Wednesday arrested 38-year-old Michael Liontonia. He is charged with first-degree rape, second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child. Liontonia is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Suffolk County, according to ABC7 New York.
Local Context
The case lands amid heightened focus on child-sex investigations on Long Island in recent years, with local authorities publicly emphasizing their pursuit of trafficking and abuse cases. In 2025, nine people were indicted in a widely reported child-sex trafficking case in Suffolk County, a reminder of prosecutors’ ongoing focus on crimes involving minors, as reported by The Associated Press.
How Police Say It Happened
Investigators say the case came to light when the girl confided in a school guidance counselor, triggering the Sixth Squad probe. According to detectives, the man allegedly picked up the 13-year-old at a Holtsville gas station, drove her to a secluded location and sexually assaulted her inside his vehicle before bringing her back to the station. Anyone with information, or who believes they may also have been victimized, is asked to contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, according to ABC7 New York.
Legal Implications
Under New York law, rape in the first degree is classified as a class B felony and rape in the second degree as a class D felony. Both are considered violent felonies that can carry multi-year prison sentences if a defendant is convicted. Any sentence, including possible mandatory minimums, depends on the precise statutory subsection and the defendant’s criminal history, as detailed in the New York Penal Law, available via New York Penal Law.
Liontonia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. His arraignment is set in Suffolk County, and the investigation remains active.
