Postal worker in Moriches indicted in rape case involving teens

A Moriches postal worker’s indictment has shaken East Hampton and nearby Suffolk communities after prosecutors said the case involves two 15-year-old girls and one alleged assault inside a U.S. Postal Service vehicle. The charges have put a harsh spotlight on how quickly schools, police and federal employers respond when a child reports abuse.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced June 11 that Jenry Buestan Gutama, 23, of Moriches, was indicted on rape, sexual misconduct and related charges. Prosecutors allege the assaults happened on separate occasions and involved two girls who were 15 at the time, expanding the case beyond the first arrest made in May.

Earlier police reporting said the first alleged assault took place May 11, 2026, while Gutama was working as a USPS carrier in East Hampton. Authorities said the girl was in a USPS vehicle with Gutama and later reported the incident to school officials, who contacted police. Gutama was arrested May 15 and arraigned May 16 on rape and child-endangerment-related charges, and local reporting said he was familiar with the victim.

Tierney called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and thanked the victims for coming forward and the East Hampton Town Police Department for its swift action. The case now moves deeper into Suffolk’s court system with charges that place the conduct of a public employee, and the safety of two teenage girls, at the center of the county’s attention.

The reporting chain in the case also underscores the role schools play as the first line of defense for children who disclose abuse. New York Education Law Article 23-B requires school officials to report allegations of child abuse in an educational setting, and state mandated-reporter rules extend that duty to certain professionals who are required to report suspected abuse or maltreatment.

For child survivors, Suffolk County victim-services materials say a Children’s Advocacy Center and forensic interviews can help reduce repeated disclosures and limit further trauma during the investigative process. As this case proceeds, residents are likely to keep looking at the safeguards around postal work, school reporting and police response that are meant to catch abuse early, before it escalates further.