After an adult survivor of sexual abuse as a child came forward, authorities are concerned there may be more victims of a child predator in New York state.

A 29-year-old man said he was sexually abused between the ages of seven and 16, starting in 1996. The perpetrator allegedly was Suffolk County corrections officer Robert Weis, now 55 years old.

A resident of Hampton Bays, Weis was charged with first degree sexual misconduct against a child, which is a violent felony. He also was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a firearm, fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property and official misconduct.

Weis pleaded not guilty. He began his career in Suffolk County in 1995.

Adult Survivor of Sexual Abuse Allegedly Not Sole Victim

According to Assistant District Attorney Laurie Moroff, Weis also has a pending felony charge against him in South Carolina for a 2016 alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy that occurred when Weis was there visiting family members.

At the time of his arrest, Weis was accompanied by a 12-year-old boy in his car, said Moroff. Southampton Town Police reported that Weis was in possession of three illegal handguns, 32 rifles, 50,000 rounds of ammunition and a bulletproof vest that he had purportedly stolen.

Moroff said that childhood friends of the man who brought forth the allegations and the man’s older brother alleged Weis held sleepovers in his basement where sexual abuse occurred. Authorities are investigating those allegations.

Weis also adopted five boys, who are now ages 19 to 26 years old. Weis also was a foster parent to many boys for 15 years. Southampton Town Police Chief Steven Skrynecki told Patch that many of the boys “came typically from broken homes or were mentally challenged individuals – very vulnerable.”

Weis seemingly was able to parlay his decades as a law enforcement officer and his alleged duty in Iraq as a way to earn trust among the boys and the community. His bond has been set at $3 million.

“There are still parts of this investigation that need to be examined, such as his motive in stockpiling a large amount of armament, but most concerning to us is the possibility of other victims,” Chief Skrynecki told Patch.

“Because of his history, including other allegations of sexual abuse, and the fact that he had access to so many vulnerable people, it certainly gives rise to concern that this victim might not be his only victim.”

The state of New York recently changed the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse by adopting the Child Victims Act, which permits sexual abuse survivors to file civil lawsuits until they turn age 55. The law opened a one-year window for all victims to pursue civil action no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. That one-year look-back window begins Aug. 14, 2019.

Any adult survivor of sexual abuse committed by Weis or by other child predators in New York may be eligible to file civil lawsuits against the abusers and against any organizations that might have helped enable the abusers to keep their predatory ways hidden.

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If you suffered sexual abuse as a child in either New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania by someone at a public or private institution, legal help is available. Fill out the free form on this page for more information.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.