Anthony Wright, 40, of Amityville, charged in missing 14-year-old girl case

A 13th person has been arrested in connection with the 25-day disappearance of a 14-year-old East Patchogue girl, court records show.

Anthony Wright, 40, of Amityville, pleaded not guilty to second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child at an arraignment before Suffolk County District Court Judge Evan Zuckerman in Central Islip Tuesday, records show. 

Wright is alleged to have engaged in sex with the teen at his home on Silverpine Drive in Amityville late on Dec. 22 into the following morning, according to the criminal complaint.

Zuckerman set bail for Wright at $500,000 cash or $1 million bond, according to court records. He remains in custody, records show.

Wright's court-appointed attorney, Eric Besso, of Sayville, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Newsday is not naming the teen because she is a minor and the alleged victim of sex abuse.

Suffolk police investigators said the arrest was based on a sworn written statement the victim provided on Feb. 18, as well as a police interview with Wright on Monday, according to a criminal complaint.

Wright is due back in court on Friday, court records show.

Wright's arrest is the first in the case since Feb. 8, according to court records. Eight men, including Wright, have now been charged with raping the teen after she left her home Dec. 9.

All 13 defendants in the overall case, which includes child sex trafficking and narcotics allegations, have denied the charges.

Police initially arrested Francis Buckheit, 64, of East Islip, who owns the boat where the girl was found. Prosecutors allege Buckheit kidnapped and raped the teen as she stayed on his boat from Dec. 13 to Jan. 3.

Police also charged Jacquelyn Comiskey, 52, of Bellport, and Elizabeth Hunter, 34, of Islip, with child sex trafficking in connection with the girl’s disappearance.

Hunter allegedly advertised the teen for sex in exchange for money and drugs and took sexually explicit photos of her between Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, prosecutors have said.

Comiskey allegedly took the girl on Jan. 2 to a house in Copiague, where she traded the minor for crack cocaine to a man accused of raping her, prosecutors said. The man, Bunice Knight, 47, was arrested on Jan. 13 and charged with rape and three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance.

Alton Harrell, 35, of Bellport; Daniel Burke, 63, of Bohemia; and Robert Eccleston, 61, of Islip, were charged with kidnapping and raping the girl during the first three days of her disappearance, according to authorities.

Kevin McDonald, 20, of Medford, allegedly raped the girl in the backseat of a car on Dec. 10, prosecutors say. He also was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.

Daniel Soto, 36, of Bay Shore, is alleged to have raped the teen between Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 at the White Cap Marina in Islip, where the girl was found aboard the boat, according to court documents.

One person has since been arrested after the girl was rescued. Deshaun McClean, 42, of Deer Park, who was an employee of a state-run children's mental health facility in Suffolk County, was charged with criminal sexual contact, criminal sexual conduct with a person incapable of consent and endangering the welfare of a child.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.