[USA] Salvadoran National Indicted Over Alleged Rape of 16-Year-Old Girl in Huntington, New York
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On June 6, 2026, in Huntington, New York (Suffolk County), USA, a 16-year-old girl walking home was approached on the street and, after refusing to give her phone number, was allegedly forced into an alley and sexually assaulted. According to local outlets Daily Voice and Patch, the girl then escaped, climbed a fence to get away, and called for help.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office announced that Salvadoran national Aureliano Antonio Melendez Reyes was indicted on charges of rape, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child, and was arraigned on June 16. The suspect had been issued a final removal order in 1998 but reportedly remained in the country afterward. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer requesting his transfer to federal custody.
Current status: Post-indictment proceedings are ongoing, and the outlook for any trial remains unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
While not directly related to Japan, this case is presented alongside a case in Idaho involving the alleged sexual assault of a girl (related coverage), as an example of the challenges surrounding immigration screening and acceptance systems in the United States.