Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Joseph T. Johnson, 33, of Wyandanch, was sentenced to 18 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision, for raping a woman inside her home in September 2020.
“This defendant subjected the victim to horrific violence and stole her sense of security that she once felt within her home. He was caught when he returned to the scene of the crime because the victim wisely set up video surveillance after being attacked,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I hope this sentence provides the victim a feeling of safety knowing that the defendant will be in prison where he can no longer hurt her, or anyone else, again.”
According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on September 19, 2020, Johnson broke into the victim’s residence in Wyandanch while she was inside, and then raped her. Following the break-in, the victim installed several surveillance cameras in and around the residence.
Two days later, on September 21, 2020, the victim received an alert that her newly installed surveillance cameras had been turned off. She then saw that cameras were damaged or turned away from the home, and the wires had been cut.
Video surveillance captured before the cameras were damaged showed Johnson, wearing white face paint, inside the victim’s residence. Johnson was subsequently arrested by members of the Suffolk County Police Department.
Upon further investigation, Johnson was determined to be the perpetrator of the rape through DNA testing.
On July 28, 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty before County Court Judge, the Honorable Karen M. Wilutis, to the charge of Rape in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony.
On September 25, 2023, Judge Wilutis sentenced Johnson to 18 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision, and he will be required to register as a sex offender. Johnson was represented by Ian Fitzgerald, Esq.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rose Romeo of the Major Crime Bureau, with investigative assistance from members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s First Squad.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.