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Suffolk County resident Pelencho Contrera, age 65, of Brentwood, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars Wednesday, Aug. 3 after a jury convicted him of multiple sex crimes, including first-degree rape.
Prosecutors said the 18-year-old victim was in the United States visiting family in Bay Shore in August 2018 when Contrera asked her to accompany him to the supermarket.
Instead, he drove the victim to the Sunrise Inn in West Babylon and threatened to kill her, her mother, and her siblings if she didn’t do what he wanted, prosecutors said.
He then took her into a motel room and raped her.
Afterwards, the quick-thinking victim was able to sneak a picture of Contrera from behind as he put his clothes back on.
Prosecutors said nearly a year went by before the victim returned to the United States and filed a complaint with police.
Contrera was finally arrested in July 2019 after police returned to the Sunrise Inn and obtained the registration card baring Contrera’s name from the alleged date of the crime.
“Today I commend the victim for her courage,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
“Her willingness to bravely come forward in court to tell her story allowed this defendant to be held responsible for his actions.”
In addition to his time behind bars, a judge also ordered Contrera to complete 15 years of post-release supervision.
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