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July 28, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
An East Elmhurst man has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexually assaulting a young girl over a three-year period while he was her babysitter.
Jose Nivelo, 43, was sentenced Tuesday having been found guilty by a jury of child sex crimes in June for the abuse that started in 2012 and took place for three years.
According to the charges, Nivelo began babysitting the girl more than a decade ago at his then home on Hampton Street in Elmhurst. He would pick her up from school and look after her while the girl’s mother was at work.
In April 2012, he began sexually assaulting her inside his home when she was age 7, authorities said. Nivelo, according to court records, groped her and had her undress in front of him on numerous occasions.
He then escalated his abuse soon after she turned 8-years-old, when he also engaged the victim in acts of anal and oral sexual conduct. By that time, Nivelo had moved to an address on 97th Street in East Elmhurst, prosecutors said.
“Instead of providing safe care for this young girl while her mother worked, the defendant has brought unimaginable trauma and pain to the victim by sexually abusing her for years,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
“The protection of our children is paramount and has remained a top priority throughout my entire career in public service. The defendant will now serve a lengthy prison term for his despicable actions.”
Nivelo’s prison term will also be followed by 15 years of post-release supervision. He will also be required to register as a sex offender, Katz said.
