Francis Buckheit, East Islip man charged with rape and kidnapping in missing girl's case, planned to take teen to Carolinas, court records show
The man charged with the kidnapping and rape of a 14-year-old East Patchogue girl who was missing for 25 days planned to take the teen "to the Carolinas," court records newly obtained by Newsday show.
Suffolk prosecutors say the teen, who Newsday has not named because she is a minor and the alleged victim of a sex crime, was held from Dec. 13 to Jan. 3 behind netting covering the hull of Francis Buckheit's 56-foot boat docked at White Cap Marina in Islip.
Buckheit, 64, of East Islip, is alleged to have engaged in sexual activity with the teen numerous times, including on the morning she was found aboard the boat, according to the charging documents. He has been charged with rape, kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child. Buckheit pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment on Jan. 4.
Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Sean Murphy told First District Judge Stephen L. Ukeiley that Buckheit intended to take the teen by boat "to the Carolinas," according to a transcript of his Jan. 4 arraignment obtained by Newsday.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- The man charged with the kidnapping and rape of a 14-year-old East Patchogue girl who was missing for 25 days planned to take the teen "to the Carolinas," newly-obtained court records show.
- Francis Buckheit, 64, of East Islip, is charged with first-degree kidnapping, rape and endangering the welfare of a child. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
- Suffolk prosecutors say the teen was held from Dec. 13 to Jan. 3 behind netting covering the hull of Buckheit's boat docked at White Cap Marina in Islip.
Buckheit "was holding her in this place not likely to be found for weeks and the victim’s parents did not know where she was nor acquiesced to her being with the defendant," Murphy told the judge.
First-degree kidnapping carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, Murphy said.
Attorney Michael Ross, who represented Buckheit at the arraignment, argued the teen did not indicate in a seven-page statement she gave to police that she was held against her will, according to the transcript.
Ross told Ukeiley he did not believe Buckheit could be convicted of kidnapping based on the account the teen gave police.
"Your honor, I do not believe the people have what they are saying they have here," Ross said. "I do not believe the A-1 felony, the kidnapping ... will stand."
The teen also told investigators Buckheit bought her a cellphone while she was on the boat, Ross told the judge.
"Frank bought me a cellphone to call drug dealers," Ross read from the teen's statements she gave authorities, according to the transcript.
Buckheit's court-appointed defense attorney, Danielle Papa, confirmed Friday that Buckheit provided the girl with a cellphone.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who said he cannot discuss the case while a grand jury indictment handed up Thursday remains under seal, referred instead to comments he made earlier last week that prosecutors would use the grand jury process to "take a look into the circumstances" of the teen's absence.
"I thank God that this child is now safe, but we're going to certainly look into the circumstances behind how she went missing and the responsible parties," Tierney said last Tuesday.
The indictment is expected to be unsealed at an arraignment in Riverhead later this month.
Ross also questioned at the earlier arraignment if the teen was sexually abused by Buckheit, saying the only witness to provide a statement to authorities that states he engaged in sex with the teen has "credibility issues."
Court records show a witness in the case is a 34-year-old woman recently released from jail following an 8-month sentence for felony burglary and crack possession. The woman, whom Newsday has not named because she is an alleged witness to a felony, was also arrested for misdemeanor petit larceny in September, court records show.
Buckheit, who was arrested Jan. 3 after prosecutors say he drove a Mack truck while intoxicated and nearly struck a police officer at the scene where the girl was found, was described at his initial arraignment as a commercial truck driver who has lived in Suffolk County for the past five years. Police said they found an open container of Bacardi rum in the cab of the truck when Buckheit was arrested and his blood alcohol content was over the legal limit of 0.08%, charging documents show.
Buckheit remains in custody at the Suffolk County Jail in Yaphank and his driver’s license was suspended over the driving while intoxicated charge.
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
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