By Betsy Scheinbart
An Astoria man pleaded guilty Tuesday to repeatedly raping a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl whom he had held hostage in his apartment for two days in August, the Queens district attorney said.
Michael Montez, 35, of 25-91 38th St., Astoria entered a guilty plea to rape in the first degree before Acting Supreme Court Justice Deborah Stevens Modica, said Queens DA Richard Brown said.
The judge indicated in court Tuesday that she would sentence Montez to nine years in prison on Nov. 19, Brown said.
The 15-year-old victim came to New York after meeting a Long Island couple, Beth Loschin and James Warren, in an on-line chat room, Brown said. Loschin and Warren were arrested separately and are being charged in Nassau County, L.I.
The couple allegedly brought the teen from Massachusetts to Nassau County, where they are suspected of strangling her, tying her up and repeatedly sexually assaulting her, Brown said.
On Aug. 7, Loschin and Warren allegedly brought the victim to Queens and “lent” her to Montez, Brown said.
The teenager was kept in Montez's third floor apartment until 10 p.m. on Aug. 8, when the Long Island couple allegedly arrived, found her tied up in a closet and took her back to Nassau County, Brown said.
Loschin and Warren were arrested on Aug. 10 in Farmingdale, L.I. after the girl managed to contact Massachusetts police, who in turn alerted Nassau County authorities, Brown said.
“We are pleased that part of this horrific ordeal for the young victim has come to a close,” Brown said. “Over a two-day period… the defendant kept the 15-year-old Massachusetts youngster in his apartment, subjecting her to repeated sexual assaults and other violent and degrading conduct.”
Brown condemned the nature of the crime and its impact on the teenage victim, saying “the fact that the young victim came to New York as a result of an online chat room encounter is terrifying to all of us, especially those of us who are parents.”
Brown said case should be a wake-up call to all parents to keep a closer eye on their children's use of the Internet.
Reach reporter Betsy Scheinbart by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 138.
