After a harrowing nearly month-long disappearance, 14-year-old Emmarae Gervasi (pictured below) was found alone on a boat docked in an Islip canal on January 3. Suffolk County police have since arrested a 65-year-old man in connection with the case, which has raised questions about possible sex trafficking.
Emmarae vanished on December 9 after leaving her Patchogue home without shoes or a jacket. Surveillance footage later showed her knocking on doors at a Bohemia motel the next day before disappearing again. Her father, Frank Gervasi, led an extensive search to find her.
A critical tip received last week directed Gervasi to a boat in a canal near Islip, where he discovered his daughter.
“The lady who gave me the tip was afraid to go in the boat,” Gervasi recounted. Emmarae was safely recovered but is reportedly traumatized by the ordeal.
Suffolk County police confirmed the arrest of a suspect in the case but did not release details. Online court records identify the man as Francis Buckheit, 65, of East Islip. Buckheit was arraigned on charges of rape, kidnapping, and endangering the welfare of a child, with the alleged crimes occurring on December 13.
Buckheit is being held without. His attorney, Danielle Papa, spoke to reporters after his arraignment, emphasizing her client’s presumption of innocence.
“These are very serious charges, but as all individuals charged with a crime, he deserves the presumption of innocence,” she said. Papa also hinted that there might be “more to the story” as investigations continue.
“Obviously, there was an incident involving a minor and because she’s a minor, I’m sort of precluded from saying a lot,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) remarked. “Thankfully that child has been found and she’s safe. We’re going to continue to work with our county attorney’s office to make sure that she stays safe, and we are going to work on that.”
When Tierney was asked whether others were involved in the teen’s abduction, Tierney stated, “I can tell you there were monumental efforts undertaken on behalf of both my office, the PD, the marshal service as well as a number of entities. I can tell you that if anyone thinks that they can engage in this type of conduct with a minor without ramifications, well, we’ll see what the grand jury says.”
Frank Gervasi, auto detailer and amateur porn star, has alleged that his daughter was a victim of sex trafficking and that she was forced into dangerous and exploitative situations during her disappearance.
“Emma was being held against her will,” he said in a social media post. “She was not allowed to leave the boat unless escorted by someone. This is sex trafficking, and it’s being looked into.”
Gervasi believes Emmarae initially left with a man she met online but was later abandoned and picked up by Buckheit. He said his daughter has struggled with drug abuse in the past and was wearing a court-mandated ankle monitoring bracelet when she disappeared.
Prosecutors allege that Buckheit planned to sail the teen to the Carolinas.
The case has drawn attention to the risks of online predators and the need for awareness about trafficking. Suffolk County police and prosecutors urge the public to share any information that could assist in the investigation.
While Emmarae begins her recovery, her case highlights the importance of community vigilance and support in protecting vulnerable individuals. “She’s doing good,” her father said. “She’s got a long road of recovery ahead of her, but, you know, that’s the way it goes with this kind of stuff.”
Gervasi, at just 14, has experienced an onslaught of harrowing experiences for her age, including treatment at substance abuse facilities in New York and Minnesota.
Last Tuesday brought the shocking revelation that Gervasi allegedly faced sexual abuse during her time at a children’s mental health facility while recovering from the traumatic experience. Deshaun McClean, 42, was charged with criminal sexual conduct.
Gervasi’s home life has also been called into question, where her posts on TikTok and Instagram have shown her in lingerie and acting in sexually suggestive manners.
Last week, a twelfth person was arrested in connection with Gervasi’s trafficking. Daniel Soto, 36, of Bay Shore, was arrested last Friday on charges of Second-Degree Rape and Endangering the Welfare of a child.
Other alleged defendants include Elizabeth Hunter, 34, and Jacquelyn Comiskey, 52, the latter of whom allegedly offering Gervasi to Bunice Knight, 47, in exchange for drugs.
This is a developing story.
