Man pleads not guilty to raping housesitter

An East Moriches man who Suffolk County prosecutors said raped and terrorized a woman for nearly an hour in a Stony Brook house last month was indicted by a Suffolk grand jury Wednesday on rape and other charges.

The woman, whose hands were tied behind her back with duct tape, used her tongue to dial 911 for help, Chalifoux said.

At one point during the attack, which lasted about 45 minutes, O'Sullivan threw undergarments at the victim and told her to put them on, Chalifoux said.

He later cut the underwear off and attacked her again, Chalifoux said.

Although O'Sullivan and the woman are strangers, police had said he targeted the house.

Prosecutors said police seized O'Sullivan's car, in which they found women's undergarments taken from the house where the assault occurred, and a rifle, the same one used during the attack.

The 10-count indictment against O'Sullivan included four counts of predatory sexual assault, a crime that carries a punishment of life in prison. He was also charged with rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse, burglary and two counts of criminal use of a firearm.

Douglas O'Connor, of Huntington, attorney for O'Sullivan, declined to respond specifically to the charges, saying he has not conducted his own inquiry.

If O'Sullivan does post bail, Chalifoux asked the judge to hold a "bail source" hearing to determine where the bail money came from, a request the judge granted.