Galo Macasfreire, of Wyandanch, facing attempted kidnapping charge

A Wyandanch man who allegedly attempted to lure an 11-year-old girl into his car Monday is now facing a felony attempted kidnapping charge, a Suffolk prosecutor said Tuesday at the suspect's arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip.

Galo Macasfreire, 38, approached the girl after she got off her school bus on Patton Avenue about 3 p.m. and asked her to get into his 2006 gray Chevrolet, offering her candy, Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Melissa Grier told District Court Judge Evan Tanenbaum.

When the girl refused, he asked again, the prosecutor said.

“This 11-year-old victim then ran home, where she immediately called police and described [his] behavior,” Grier said.

Macasfreire was apprehended 30 minutes later and initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

Grier said Macasfreire could be a flight risk, noting the vehicle he was driving had out-of-state license plates and he is not a U.S. Citizen. She asked that bail on the second-degree attempted kidnapping charge be set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond.

Macasfreire’s attorney, Norley Castaneda, of Central Islip, called the attempted kidnapping charge added Tuesday, “a stretch.”

“There’s no indication he attempted to abduct her,” Castaneda told Tanenbaum, who ultimately set bail at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.

Castaneda said her client has lived with his family in the same house in Wyandanch for two years. He works for a local siding company, she told the judge.

Macasfreire is due back in court Friday.

Suffolk police ask anyone with information regarding the incident to call police at 631-854-8100.

With Nicholas Grasso

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.