Witness describes rapes, beating at LI bar

A former waitress at a Suffolk cantina gave harrowing testimony Monday of being raped three times, having an abortion unwillingly, and being savagely beaten twice.

The witness, identified only as "Flor," spoke for several hours in a matter-of-fact manner, with only an occasional nervous smile, in federal court in Central Islip. But she broke down when federal prosecutor Licha Nyiendo showed her photos of her battered face after the second beating, with a broken front tooth and two black eyes.

Flor testified that she had been hired by the alleged leader of what prosecutors say was a sexual-slavery ring, Antonio Rivera, 35, of Patchogue, ostensibly to work as a waitress at Sonidos de la Frontera in Lake Ronkonkoma. She had admitted to him, she said, that she was undocumented, and only 17 years old, under age to work in an establishment that serves alcohol.

Rivera replied " 'The younger the better; you will make more money,' " Flor said.

On three occasions, while she was too drunk to resist, Rivera had forced relations with her, Flor said.

She acknowledged having sex with bar customers as part of her job, but said she always made sure the men used condoms. When she became pregnant, Flor testified only Rivera could have been the father, because his attacks where the only time she had had unprotected sex.

When she told Rivera he had to be the father, Flor said he told her "to get rid of it" and threatened to harm her unless she did.

Rivera and two other men are charged with sexual trafficking, forced labor and immigration violations from the ring based at Sonidos and another cantina, La Hija del Mariachi in Farmingville.

Flor said Rivera had her beaten twice. Once, he had a security guard hold her while two other waitresses, whom she had been quarreling with, attacked her, pulling out her hair.

The second attack, which led to her facial injuries, happened after Flor said she made up an imaginary boyfriend to fend off Rivera's advances. He told her she would "pay for that," she said.

Shortly afterward, a security guard hired by Rivera, who was supposed to be driving her home, stopped in a darkened parking lot, dragged her out of the car by her hair, and slammed her face into the ground until she lost consciousness, Flor said.

Rivera's attorney, Glenn Obedin, started his cross-examination by saying that her police report about the attack never mentioned Rivera.

The cross-examination will continue Tuesday.