Teen jailed in sex attack

An 18-year-old Bayside teen is being held at Riker’s Island, charged with a variety of felonies in the July 6 attempted kidnapping and rape of a seven-year-old Flushing girl.
Dillon Fattori, of 16-70 Bell Boulevard, turned himself in to authorities at the 109th Precinct in Flushing on Saturday, July 14, one day after the New York City Police Department (NYPD) released his photo to the media.
According to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Fattori, who is in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail, faces 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Brown said the allegation “makes the defendant a threat to children and a clear and present danger to society.”
At the time of his arrest, according to Brown, Fattori is alleged to have admitted to NYPD detectives that he “took the girl behind the garage, exposed himself and put his hand behind the girl’s neck.”
The girl was spared only when a neighbor, alerted by the barking of her pet pit-bull, heard her cries for help and interrupted the attack. Fattori allegedly told investigators that he ran away “because he was scared.”
Fattori had been arrested for possession of stolen property — a bicycle — on Thursday, June 5, just a day before the child was lured off the sidewalk, then forced into a space between two garages near 43-51 171st Street, where the attack took place.
Civic activists and members of the Guardian Angels began distributing flyers bearing Fattori’s likeness and description in English, Chinese and Korean within days of the attack.
Neighbors in both areas are appalled.
“That’s really bad, that shouldn’t happen. I can’t even say anything,” said Chris Patyk, 34, who lives close to Fattori.
Frank Falgino, 66, lives close to where the rape attempt took place.
“Parents have to teach their children to scream or cry out for help. That’s really the only defense a child has,” he said.
At Il Vesuvio Pizzeria on Bell Boulevard, news reports naming Fattori had the place in shock.
“I can’t believe it,” said 26-year-old Laura, a server. “He worked here for maybe two weeks, about three years ago. I have a four-year-old daughter, and it’s very scary to think that someone you know might do something like that.”
Stacy, a 20-year-old server, was even more upset.
“I gave him a ride to his house once,” she exclaimed, putting her shaking hands up to her face, “Eew, it’s horrible - eew … eew!”
Lauren Darson contributed to this article.