A Jamaica man was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday, Aug. 4, following his conviction for sexual abuse of a young girl for more than four years, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Michael Clark, 35, of Yates Road, was found guilty by a jury of sexual conduct against a child following a week-long trial before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant last month.
According to charges, between November 2011 and April 2015, Clark repeatedly sexually abused the victim while we was living with the victim and her mother, his then-girlfriend, inside their Sutphin Boulevard apartment in Jamaica. Shortly after the defendant moved in, when the complainant was 5 years old, Clark started sneaking into the child’s bedroom in the evenings while her mother slept in the room next door.
The defendant subjected the victim to sexual conduct on a repeated basis over the course of approximately four years, until she was 9 years old, including instances of sexual intercourse, and oral sexual conduct, according to prosecutors.
In April 2020, the child finally disclosed the history of abuse to her mother, who immediately reported the crime to the authorities.
Clark was convicted by the jury on July 21 of sexual conduct against a child, a penal law authored by Katz during her tenure in the NYS Assembly.
“The defendant used his access to this young victim to subject her to abhorrent sexual conduct,” Katz said. “Protecting our children from predators is not just a priority for my administration but has remained a focal point during my entire career in public service. I commend the young victim on her bravery and strength in helping to hold her abuser fully accountable for his heinous actions. The defendant will now spend a lengthy prison term as punishment.”
Justice Pandit-Durant imposed a sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by15 years post-release supervision. Clark will also be required to register as a sex offender.
