What Happened
Nixon Nehemias Marquezmestanza, 22, of Wyandanch, was indicted Tuesday on charges of rape, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office announced September 15, 2026. The victim is 6 years old. According to News 12 Long Island, Marquezmestanza had direct childcare access to the child and used that access to abuse her on multiple occasions during 2025.
The last incident occurred in August 2025. After it, the child told family members what had happened. The family called police, per the District Attorney’s office.
The Suffolk County Police Department Special Victims Section opened an investigation. That investigation led to Marquezmestanza’s arrest on August 31, 2026, according to News 12 Long Island. The gap between the August 2025 disclosure and the August 2026 arrest spans approximately one year.
District Attorney Ray Tierney addressed the case directly: “This brave young victim told someone, and her family acted on it immediately. That is how these cases come to light. I want every family in Suffolk County to know that they can come forward, and our prosecutors and Special Victims Section will be there. Protecting children is a core responsibility of this office, and we will see this case through.”
Location & Road Context
Wyandanch is a hamlet in the Town of Babylon in western Suffolk County, roughly 35 miles east of Manhattan. It sits along the Long Island Rail Road’s Babylon Branch. Recent public-safety activity in the community has included a serious motorcycle collision on Long Island Avenue in June 2026 and a Wyandanch traffic stop in May 2026 that ended with a driver nearly striking officers.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Marquezmestanza is held on $500,000 cash, $1.5 million bond, or $5 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case, per the Suffolk County DA. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer to take custody of Marquezmestanza after prosecution concludes, according to News 12 Long Island.
He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. No arraignment date was released as of the DA’s September 15 announcement.
Broader Impact
New York Penal Law sets a maximum of 25 years on a first-degree rape conviction. The DA’s office confirmed the case will be handled by its Special Victims Section, the unit that manages all child sexual abuse prosecutions in Suffolk County.