A Corona man was arrested last Thursday morning by federal agents on charges that he sexually abused three girls, whose ages ranged from 12 to 13, on a Brooklyn military base.
Fausto Bonifaz, 39, was arraigned on an indictment that was returned by a grand jury last Wednesday charging him with coercing and enticing three minors to engage in sexual activity and sexually abusing minors, according to Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Prior to his arrest, Bonifaz admitted to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents that he sexually abused one of the victims, and signed a written statement detailing the abuse. According to the indictment, Bonifaz abused the three girls at Fort Hamilton, where as a civilian he had been admitted because he worked with a victim’s mother and had access to her house. The abuse was discovered after one of the alleged victims reported it to a counselor.
“The act of sexual abuse haunts its victims long after the crime has been committed, setting them up for a life overshadowed by despair,” said George Venizelos, FBI assistant director-in-charge. “[Thursday’s] charges underscore our commitment to protect our children—our nation’s greatest asset—from this type of violence carried out by predators who seek to destroy their innocence.”
If convicted, Bonifaz, who is being represented by attorney John Carney, faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.
Lynch called protecting children from sexual predators “one of our highest priorities.
“We will not allow people such as [Bonifaz] prey on the families of our military, and we will investigate all allegations of abuse,” she added, before thanking the FBI for their efforts during the investigation.
By Michael V. Cusenza
