MAN CHARGED IN SEX ABUSE OF GIRL, 3

Jose Romero, a 36 year old Huntington Station man, was arrested Saturday after he was seen committing a sexual act with the 3 year old daughter of his landlords.  He had rented a room in the house of the girl's mother and stepfather for two years and they considered him a family friend.  At 9 a.m. Saturday, a friend of Romero's knocked on the door to Romero's room and pushed the door open and saw Romero engaged in a sexual act with the girl.  He then notified the girl's family who called police.  It was determined after the girl was interviewed and examined at a hospital, that the abuse had been going on for at lest 30 days.  Romero was arraigned yesterday and charged with a first degree criminal sexual act, first degree sexual abuse and second degree aggravated sexual abuse.  In accordance with a recent county agreement, Romero, a Honduran national, was also reported to the United States Bureau of Immigration Customs Enforcement, which determined that he is in this country illegally.

(New York)