Suffolk County police have arrested a 65-year-old man in connection with the mysterious case of 14-year-old Emmarae Gervasi, whose father claimed she was a victim of sex trafficking after vanishing from home nearly a month ago. The arrest comes shortly after police found Emmarae alone on a boat docked in Islip, offering few clues about how she ended up there.
Francis Buckheit was charged with rape and kidnapping in connection to Emmarae's case, as his defense attorney confirmed, Danielle Marie Papa, according to a report from Patch. The teen had been missing since December 9, after heading outside to collect items from a Jeep parked near her Tyrrell Street home.
Arrest Made after Sex Trafficking Accusations
"There was an arrest made in the case and at this time additional inquiries will be directed to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, police said in an email.
Police have not released details about the suspect in this case and directed inquiries to the county district attorney's office, which has not yet provided a response. However, Frank Gervasi, the teen's father, identified the suspect in a Facebook post on Monday as Francis Buckheit, 65, from Islip.
While authorities have not confirmed the suspect's identity, online court records indicate that a man with the same name and age was arraigned on Saturday on charges of rape, kidnapping, and endangering the welfare of a child. The alleged crime is dated December 13, according to the records.
The suspect has been denied bail and is set for a court appearance later this week.
The teen disappeared on December 9 after leaving her home without shoes or a jacket. She was last seen getting into a car outside her family's residence in Patchogue. The next day, surveillance footage captured her knocking on doors at a Bohemia motel before vanishing once again.
Complicated Case of Disappearance
In a series of earlier posts, Frank Gervasi shared that he was leading a search for his daughter. He alleged that the girl first left with a man she had met online, but was later dropped off and subsequently picked up by a "random" 65-year-old stranger.
In a post over the weekend, he expressed his belief that Emmarae had fallen victim to sex trafficking and was "forced to do things a 14-year-old shouldn't have to do."
"Emma was being held against her will. She was not allowed to leave the boat unless she was escorted by somebody," he said. "So I do believe this is sex trafficking, and it's being looked into."
He said that he received a phone tip that guided him to find his daughter on the boat, which was docked near the White Cap Fish Market in Islip.
"The lady who gave me the tip was afraid to go in the boat," he said.
