A man charged with the rape of a 5-year-old girl on Staten Island choked the victim’s mother and stole her phone after she caught him in the sickening act and tried to dial 911, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Dominique Giles, 30, was arraigned in Staten Island Criminal Court on 19 charges, including rape, sexual abuse, strangulation, assault, petty larceny and endangering the welfare of a child.
The girl’s mother entered a bedroom near Richmond Terrace and Sharpe Ave. in Port Richmond about 5:40 a.m. Jan. 22 and caught Giles, who she knows, with his pants around his ankles raping the girl, prosecutors say.
The child’s mother tried to dial 911 for help but Giles “wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed, causing (her) to experience difficulty breathing, to vomit, and to be unable to speak to the 911 operator,” shocking court papers say.
He also beat her, causing bruising and swelling to her face and back, among other injuries, prosecutors said.
Giles ran off with the mom’s phone to prevent her from contacting anyone, prosecutors charge.
Medics took the girl to Richmond University Medical Center, where she was treated and released.
Cops released images of Giles on Jan. 29, asking for the public’s help in tracking him down.
Assistant District Attorney Rhiannon LaTour asked for $250,000 cash bail, saying Giles had taken “multiple steps to avoid apprehension” and faces up to 25 years in prison on the rape charge.
“A track and trace warrant had to be executed,” said LaTour. “NYPD warrants and U.S. Marshals visited multiple family members in an effort to close in on the defendant and despite leaving contact information with all of these individuals, the defendant failed to turn himself in.”
Working off tips, cops tracked Giles to W. 124th St. near Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. in Harlem Tuesday morning and took him into custody.
LaTour said Giles’ lawyer had arranged for the suspect to surrender at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday but he was nabbed involuntarily instead.
“It does not appear the defendant had any intention to turn himself in despite the arrangements made,” said LaTour.
But Giles’ lawyer, Paul Testaverde, said his client was on his way to surrender when he was arrested.
Giles’ lawyer asked for his client to be released, or if bail was necessary, that it be set at “a nominal” amount.
Testaverde pointed out that Giles, a father, had no criminal convictions and that many members of his family had shown up to support him.
“He worked for several years in New York City as a security guard,” Testaverde said in court. He also is a primary supporter and provider for his children. He does not only look after his children… but he also does freelance work that he does on the computer, which he produces money to support his children.”
Judge Biju J. Koshy ordered Giles held on $250,000 bail.
A female relative of Giles could be seen speaking with Testaverde and crying after the arraignment. His family declined to speak with a reporter.
Giles is due to return to court on Friday.