Thread: N.Y.: Men accused of having sex with teens could be deported

Men accused of having sex with teens could be deported

July 23, 2007, 3:30 PM EDT

BREWSTER, N.Y. (AP) _ Two men charged with rape for having sex with underage girls could face deportation as well as prison if they're convicted.

Pedro Sagastume, 21, and Jeremias Perez, 22, both of Brewster, may be illegal immigrants, the Putnam County sheriff's office said Monday.

The men were arrested last week after the two girls, ages 13 and 15, were reported missing by their families. An investigation led state troopers and sheriff's deputies to the men's apartment, where the girls were found.

They had consensual sex after going to a nightclub in Danbury, Conn., Sheriff Donald Smith said, but girls that age cannot legally consent.

Capt. William McNamara of the sheriff's department said the girls showed poor judgment in going out with men that age, but "In the eyes of the law the culpability on the part of the two men is greater. Adults are supposed to look out for and protect young people, not to prey on them as these two men did."

Perez's lawyer, Francis O'Reilly, was on vacation Monday, his office said. A call to the county Legal Aid office, which represents Sagastume, was not immediately returned.

Perez was charged with third-degree rape, Sagastume with second-degree rape. Smith said that because they are "allegedly in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws," immigration officials and the Guatemalan consulate were told of the arrest. In addition, he said, the FBI was told about the interstate transportation of the girls "for possible prosecution of federal crimes."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ ... -apnewyork

a parents worse nightmare

I think the parents may hold a certain amount of responsibility in this too! That is assuming the two girls didn't sneak out of the house without the parents knowledge. When my daughters were 13 and 15, there was never a time I didn't know exactly where they were.

Originally Posted by MW

I think the parents may hold a certain amount of responsibility in this too! That is assuming the two girls didn't sneak out of the house without the parents knowledge. When my daughters were 13 and 15, there was never a time I didn't know exactly where they were.

Good point MW!