Youth detention center employee pleads guilty to charges he had sex with teen at Brentwood facility
A former employee at a state youth detention center in Brentwood pleaded guilty Friday to the rape of a 15-year-old girl he was assigned to monitor.
Ovzie Cannon, 40, of Queens, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape, one count of a felony criminal sex act and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child after prosecutors said he had gave marijuana edibles to the teen and had sex with her at the Brentwood Residential Center for Girls.
Cannon was assigned to monitor the teen's room as a youth support specialist at the facility for juvenile delinquents operated by the state Office of Children Family Services. The facility houses girls between the ages of 12 and 18.
Prosecutors said during the months he worked there, January and February, he gave the girl edibles and had sex with her on "more than one occasion."
“This defendant’s job was to provide support to vulnerable youth,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement. “Instead, he exploited his position of trust to take advantage of a 15-year-old girl by drugging and sexually abusing her.”
Cannon faces up to four years in prison when he is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 17.
The Office of Children and Family Services conducted a review of safety protocols in the Brentwood facility and reinforced protocols for monitoring, reporting and boundaries for staff to protect youth residents, officials said.
Officials said they assessed actions of staff in the unit and took actions to maintain youth supervision standards and training.
“The safety and well-being of youth in care is the absolute priority of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, and we take matters of staff misconduct very seriously," the agency said in a statement Friday. "OCFS immediately terminated Mr. Cannon upon discovery of these abhorrent allegations and took measures to support impacted youth. OCFS worked with law enforcement toward Mr. Cannon’s apprehension and appreciate that he is being held responsible for his reprehensible actions."
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
