Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Thursday, Sept. 19, that a Bronx man was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for predatory sexual assault against a child and other charges for sexually abusing his stepdaughter, as well as child endangerment for forcing his stepson to watch pornography.

Reacting to the case, Clark said, “The defendant preyed upon these children for years, ruining their childhood. The young girl compellingly testified about his unconscionable acts and he will now spend years in prison, as we continue to assist the children.”

Clark said the the defendant, Edison Delacruz, 40, of Shakespeare Avenue in The Bronx was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison on predatory sexual assault against a child, a first-degree criminal sexual act, attempted rape in the first-degree and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child on Sept. 18, by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Tara Collins.  She said Delacruz was found guilty by a jury of those charges on Aug. 29.

According to trial testimony, between July 1, 2014, and August 28, 2020, Delacruz sexually abused his stepdaughter when she was between six and 12 years old and when his stepson was between 10 and 12 years old, Delacruz forced him to watch pornography with him while he masturbated in the boy’s presence.

 

The case was prosecuted by Major Case Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Wichman and Assistant District Attorney Dana Snay of the child abuse/sex crimes bureau, under the supervision of Johanna Hernandez and Alexandra Militano, deputy chiefs of the child abuse/sex crimes bureau, Mimi Mairs, chief of the child abuse/sex crimes bureau, and under the overall supervision of Adrienne Giunta, deputy chief of the special victims division and Joseph Muroff, chief of the special victims division.

Clark thanked Trial Preparation Assistant Elaina Clarke of the child abuse/sex crimes bureau for her assistance with the case. She also thanked NYPD Detective Calvin Reyes of the Bronx Child Abuse Squad and Detective Mark Buono of the 44^th Precinct Squad for their work on this case.