A 22-year-old man was arrested on a sex abuse charge Thursday, accused of inappropriately touching a 9-year-old girl, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said in East Hampton Town Justice Court.
Wilson Rolando-Morales, a native Ecuadorian who had been living in East Hampton for three years, surrendered on Thursday morning, his attorney, John O'Brien of Noyac, said. Mr. O'Brien entered a plea of not guilty on his client's behalf.
He was charged with sexual abuse in the first degree, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. Stacy Skorupa, an assistant district attorney, detailed the charges against him in court on Thursday. Mr. Rolando-Morales has since moved from East Hampton to Hampton Bays, where he is living with an aunt, uncle, and cousins, his attorney said.
Ms. Skorupa asked Justice Lisa R. Rana to set bail at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond. Mr. O'Brien said his client had retained him on May 24 after he became aware of the investigation and had plenty of time to flee if that is what he intended to do. Instead, they arranged to have him surrender to town police on Thursday and had "shown good faith." He asked for bail to be lowered to $1,000 cash or $2,500 bail.
Justice Rana thought that was too low. She set bail at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond because he had surrendered himself. She agreed that if it had been his intention to leave the jurisdiction he would have already. He posted $5,000 bail at the courthouse and was released.
The judge issued a stay-away Order of Protection for the victim.
Mr. Rolando-Morales is due back in court on July 18.