East Hampton Man Charged With Nearly 70 Sex Crimes

After being indicted in April on seven felony sex crimes – including three charges of first-degree rape – an East Hampton man was indicted once again and now stands charged with nearly 70 felonies, all related to criminal sex acts with a minor, after police conducted further investigations.

Fidel Castro-Brito, 23, was originally arrested on April 7 after a man went to police after he allegedly saw Castro-Brito jumping out of his daughter's bedroom window upon his arrival home. He had confronted Castro-Brito months earlier on Facebook and advised him to stay away from his daughter because she is a minor and Castro said he would, he told police.

Castro was later arrested by East Hampton Town Police and indicted by a Suffolk grand jury.

But according to East Hampton Town Det. Lt. Chris Anderson, a subsequent investigation revealed that Castro-Brito's crimes ran much deeper than what was originally found. Namely, charges relating to sexual performances arose, which indicate the use of a minor in a "play, motion picture, photograph or dance," according to state penal law. 

"Based on those interviews, we were able to develop new information which initiated a new case," Anderson said. "We were able to identify new victims and this indictment is the result of criminal acts committed against those victims."

According to the most recent indictment, handed down by a grand jury, the victim Castro-Brito raped on two separate occasions was under the age of 11 years old at the time of the incidents. In April, police interviewed Castro and took a sworn statement, in which he admitted to having sexual intercourse on at least one occassion with the minor, according to police.

Three victims in total are referred to in the more recent indictment, all of whom were reported to be under the age of 13 when the incidents spanning from the summer of 2010 through the fall of 2011 occurred. State law protects their identity.

He is charged with the following: 

• 3 charges, predatory sexual assualt against a child, felony
• 17 charges, use of a child in a sexual performance, felony
• 17 charges, promoting a sexual performance by a child, felony
• 24 charges, possessing a sexual performance by a child, felony
• 2 charges, first-degree rape, felony
• 2 charges, sexual abuse in the first degree, felony
• 2 charges, predatory sexual assault against a child, felony
• 1 charge, attempted use of a child in a sexual performance, felony
• 3 charges, endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanor

Castro-Brito was indicted on Nov. 16 and pleaded not guilty to all 71 charges against him. He was held without bail, and court records indicate that he is due back in court on Jan. 4 of next year.

With reporting from Taylor K. Vecsey.