Lazaro Huertas-Perez.

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

A 30-year-old Guatemalan national will spend nearly two decades in prison for raping a 14-year-old Long Island girl and fleeing the country after learning she had given birth to his child.

Lazaro Huertas-Perez was sentenced to 17 years behind bars Tuesday, Dec. 9, in Suffolk County Court after pleading guilty in November to first-degree rape and related charges.

Prosecutors argued the abuse happened in the summer of 2021 inside a multi-family home where Huertas-Perez and the victim both lived.

According to Huertas-Perez’ admissions during his plea, he offered the teen a glass of water containing an unknown substance that caused her to become disoriented and lose control of her body. She told investigators she remembered being carried to his room and later awoke in pain.

Roughly nine months later, the teen gave birth. Subsequent DNA testing confirmed Huertas-Perez was the biological father, prosecutors said.

When Huertas-Perez learned of the birth in April 2022, he left Suffolk County and boarded a flight to his native Guatemala, prosecutors said.

US Customs and Border Patrol discovered Suffolk County had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and notified the Suffolk County Police Fugitive Unit, which returned him to face charges.

Huertas-Perez pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 5, o:

  • First-degree rape (felony)
  • Second-degree rape (felony)
  • Sexual misconduct (misdemeanor)
  • Endangering the welfare of a child (misdemeanor)

Once he completes his 17-year sentence, Huertas-Perez will be subject to deportation proceedings by federal immigration authorities, prosecutors said.

“No child should ever go through the trauma that the 14-year-old victim in this case went through,” said Suffolk County DA Raymond Tierney. “I hope today’s sentence serves as a reminder that my office will do everything in our power to protect children from predators.”