Home health care worker sexually abused disabled person, cops say

A home health care agency worker from Hampton Bays was arrested Monday and charged with sexually abusing a mentally disabled client on a boat, police said.

Southampton Town police said Anthony Raniello, 70, was charged with second-degree criminal sexual act, second-degree sexual abuse and first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.

A Southampton Town Justice Court spokeswoman said Raniello was being held in lieu of a $105,000 bond or $52,500 cash after pleading not guilty at his arraignment on Monday.

Police said Raniello, a “direct care professional” with a home health care agency in Lake Ronkonkoma, picked up the victim, 21, at a home in the Town of Southampton and then took the victim to his boat in Hampton Bays, where the sex abuse occurred.

Neither Raniello nor his attorney were immediately available for comment. His next court date was set for Friday.

With Lisa Irizarry

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”