TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2005

DA BROWN: QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING
TO ABDUCT 3 CHILDREN IN ASTORIA PARK AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING
9-YEAR-OLD GIRL; FACES UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced that a former City hospital worker had been charged with attempting to kidnap three children from an Astoria, Queens, park yesterday morning and sexually assaulting one of them – a 9-year-old girl.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Peter Belegrinos, 25, of 20-64 24th Street in Astoria, New York, who was suspended in April from his job as a Psych Tech at Elmhurst Hospital. The defendant has been charged with one count of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

District Attorney Brown said, “The alleged offenses are said to have occurred in a public area in broad daylight. Such allegations make the defendant a threat to children and a clear and present danger to society. The charges will be vigorously prosecuted.”

According to the District Attorney, it is charged that, on August 8 at Astoria Park, located at Ditmars Boulevard and Shore Boulevard in Astoria, Queens, the defendant approached three children – a 9-year-old boy and girl and a 12-year-old girl – and asked them to play a game that he described as a “kissing game.” At that point, it is alleged that the 9-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl ran away from the defendant.

The complaint further charges that the defendant then told the 9-year-old girl to get into his car and that they could catch up with the other two children. In fear, the girl ran away from the defendant and toward the 9-year-old boy who had run ahead and was hiding next to an area of bushes. Together, they both watched the defendant drive his car over to where they were hiding, get out and run toward them behind the bushes.

It is further alleged that the defendant ran through the bushes and punched the 9-year-old girl in the face, knocking her to the ground, before lifting up her skirt and sexually abusing her. The complaint charges that the defendant covered her mouth with his hand while she attempted to scream and told her, “Can’t you ever shut up.”

Finally, according to the complaint, the 9-year-old boy who had witnessed the defendant grab the girl and knock her to the ground, started screaming and alerted a number of passersby to what the defendant was doing to the girl.

The defendant was apprehended yesterday by police at his residence. He was arraigned this afternoon before Queens Criminal Court Judge Deborah Stevens Modica who set bail at $50,000 cash and a return date of August 29, 2005.

Assistant District Attorney Lucinda C. Suarez, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Marjory D. Fisher, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Charles A. Testagrossa and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.

It should be noted that criminal charges are merely accusations and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.