By Jeremy Walsh
A 50−year−old custodian at a Head Start program in Corona was charged last week with sexually molesting a 9−year−old girl for whom his wife baby−sat, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Jose Duran of Corona, who worked at the Therese Cervini Head Start Program at 35−34 104th St., was arraigned last Thursday on charges of sexual abuse, sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child, Brown said. Bail was set at $35,000, the DA’s office said. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison, the DA said.
None of the alleged acts of abuse occurred at Duran’s workplace, the DA’s office said.
“The defendant is accused of turning a young child’s visits with her baby−sitter into a terrifying sexual ordeal that not only robbed her of her innocence, but will forever soil her childhood memories,” Brown said in a statement. “The charges are very disturbing.”
Duran is accused of sexually abusing the young girl in his apartment on multiple occasions between Nov. 1 and March 30, Brown said. He warned the girl not to tell anyone, Brown said.
The alleged abuse case came to light when the girl told a guidance counselor about the inappropriate touching after she watched a puppet show at her school about sex abuse, Brown said.
Brown asked anyone with additional information or who believes that they may have been a victim of Duran to contact the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau at 718−286−6505.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e−mail at jewalsh@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 154.
