Suffolk County police have taken a 65-year-old man into custody in connection with the baffling disappearance of a 14-year-old girl.
According to her father, she may have been a victim of sex trafficking after vanishing almost a month ago.
The arrest follows a startling turn of events in the case of Emmarae Gervasi, who was discovered alone on a docked boat in Islip. Authorities have not yet clarified how she ended up there.
65-year-old man arrested for kidnapping
The suspect, identified as Francis Buckheit from Islip, is allegedly tied to the teenager’s mysterious disappearance.
While police have yet to release Buckheit’s name officially, court records indicate that a man of the same name and age was arraigned on Saturday. He was charged with rape, kidnapping, and behaving in a manner harmful to a child.
The alleged crimes date back to December 13, just days after Emma went missing. Buckheit is being held without bail and is expected in court later this week.
A police representative stated, “There was an arrest made in the case and at this time additional inquiries will be directed to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.”
Emma’s disappearance began on December 9 when, according to her father, Frank Gervasi, she stepped outside her East Patchogue home on Tyrrell Street to grab something from a vehicle.
He explained, “She left with no shoes on and it was pouring rain. It didn’t look like she was intending on leaving.”
Heartbroken and desperate, Frank described his efforts to find her, saying, “We’re out looking for her until two or three o’clock in the morning. Every time the phone rings we think it’s information for Emma or a tip, but it never is.”
Dad searches for missing teenager
Local law in New York enforcement launched a massive search, working closely with Frank.
For more than three weeks, Frank documented the search process online, providing updates on Instagram.
His posts caught the attention of followers from across the nation, and he even offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to Emma’s safe return.
“There’s no stopping until I find her and that’s just the way it’s gonna be,” he told reporters.
A pivotal moment came less than a day after she disappeared, when Frank received a tip about Emma walking aimlessly in Bohemia before seemingly vanishing.
It wasn’t until days later that he followed up on an anonymous lead, ultimately finding her aboard a boat in Islip.
“I got an anonymous tip yesterday, and I want to thank that person for coming forward and giving me information about my daughter,” Frank shared on Facebook.
He added, “The phone call that I received was that she was on a boat in Islip. I followed it up on my own and I went down there to check. I bust into the boat and recovered my daughter. She has been saved and is alive. I believe it was persistency that helped bring her home.”
The reunion happened aboard a large boat docked 13 miles from their home, near the White Cap Fish Market.
65-year-old man remains behind bars
Frank said he rescued his daughter before authorities arrived, adding, “I did find her myself before police got there. It was the end of 26 days of hell seeing her alive in my arms. It was a gift from God. I can’t describe the feeling I had when I grabbed her.”
Emma is now recovering in the hospital, while the investigation remains active. The Suffolk County Police impounded the boat, treating it as evidence in their case.
Frank suspects that Emma had fallen into a dangerous situation involving more than one individual.
He told the New York Post, “Emma was being held against her will. She was not allowed to leave the boat unless she was escorted by somebody… I do believe this is sex trafficking, and it’s being looked into.”
On Monday, Buckheit pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, kidnapping, and endangering a child during his appearance at First District Court in Central Islip.