Suffolk County parents are seething with outrage after prosecutors indicted Jimmy Harry Velasquezgomez, a 44-year-old Honduran national from Mastic, New York, for allegedly groping three young girls—ages 7, 9, and 11—inside a Medford TJ Maxx store over a six-month span. The chilling incidents, captured on store surveillance video, unfolded in the toy aisle, a place meant for innocent childhood fun, turning a routine shopping trip into a parent’s worst nightmare. District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the charges on November 17, 2025, labeling the acts “disturbing” assaults that shatter community trust. As Velasquezgomez sits behind bars on $3.5 million bail, furious locals demand answers: How did this alleged serial predator slip through the cracks for so long in a bustling retail hotspot?

The case exploded into the public eye following Velasquezgomez’s arrest on November 1, 2025, outside an East Islip business, but the grand jury indictment handed down on November 14 elevates the stakes. Facing three counts each of first-degree sexual abuse (Class D violent felonies), second-degree sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child, the maintenance worker could face up to 21 years in prison if convicted. Arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis, he pleaded not guilty, with his attorney insisting the encounters were mere “brushes” in a crowded store. Yet, prosecutors paint a far darker picture, backed by irrefutable video evidence showing deliberate grabs and even the suspect touching himself while fixating on one victim.

This isn’t just a one-off horror story—it’s a pattern that unfolded under the noses of shoppers and staff. The first alleged assault occurred on April 19, 2025, when a 7-year-old girl, browsing toys with her mother’s permission, felt a hand squeeze her buttocks. The child froze in confusion, later telling her family a stranger had “touched her bottom hard.” Fast-forward to September 25, and an 11-year-old suffered the same violation, with video allegedly capturing Velasquezgomez holding his genitals over his clothing moments before the grab. The final straw came on October 29, when a 9-year-old’s sweatshirt was lifted as she stood near her unaware mother; surveillance showed the man squeezing before vanishing into the aisles. In a particularly brazen detail, footage from the September incident revealed him staring intently at the 9-year-old while pleasuring himself, a sight that has left investigators and families reeling.

The Predator’s Shadow: A Life in Suffolk County Under the Radar

Velasquezgomez, who has resided in Suffolk County for over nine years, blended into the fabric of Long Island’s working-class communities as a low-profile maintenance worker. Neighbors in Mastic describe him as “quiet” and unassuming, the kind of guy who nods hello but keeps to himself. Court records reveal no prior arrests in New York, but his Honduran background has fueled heated online debates about immigration vetting—though officials confirm he entered the U.S. legally and held no outstanding warrants. DA Tierney’s office, in a pointed statement, stressed that the case hinges on the acts themselves, not nationality, but social media erupted with #DeportThePredator hashtags, amassing thousands of shares within hours.

How did he evade detection for months? Sources close to the investigation point to a toxic mix of factors. TJ Maxx, like many big-box retailers, relies on basic surveillance—cameras in high-traffic areas but not always monitored in real-time. The toy aisle, tucked in a corner, offered cover amid weekend crowds. Victims’ initial reports were filed separately, with the first two not linking to the same suspect until police cross-referenced descriptions: a stocky man in his 40s, often in casual work clothes, lingering near children’s sections. “It was like he was hunting,” one detective told local outlets, noting how Velasquezgomez timed his visits for peak family hours.

The third incident broke the case wide open. The 9-year-old’s quick report to her mother prompted an immediate store review of footage, leading to a match with earlier complaints. Suffolk County Police Special Victims Section swooped in, using facial recognition and license plate readers to track him to his Mastic address. By November 1, he was in cuffs, but not before allegedly striking again—though that claim remains unverified. Experts say delayed reporting plays a huge role; child victims often process trauma slowly, and parents hesitate without proof. “In retail settings, these predators count on chaos and disbelief,” said child psychologist Dr. Elena Vasquez in a CNN interview, citing national stats from RAINN showing only one in three child sexual assaults reported promptly.

Community Fury: Vigils, Protests, and Calls for Retail Reform

Long Island erupted in parental panic the moment details leaked. By November 18, a vigil outside the Medford TJ Maxx drew over 200 furious moms and dads, clutching signs reading “Protect Our Kids—Not Predators” and “Cameras Aren’t Enough.” Chants of “Justice for the Girls” echoed as organizers from Moms for Liberty and local PTA chapters demanded enhanced security: live-monitored feeds, child-safety alerts via apps, and mandatory staff training on spotting grooming behaviors. “My daughter shops there every weekend—how many more victims are out there?” wailed one mother, whose 8-year-old now refuses to enter stores alone.

Social media amplified the rage. The New York Post’s exposé racked up 50,000 shares, with X (formerly Twitter) users posting grainy stills from surveillance leaks—prompting TJ Maxx to issue a statement vowing “full cooperation” and temporary aisle patrols. Governor Kathy Hochul weighed in, pledging $2 million in state grants for retail child-protection tech, while Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine called for a task force on “silent predators” in public spaces. Yet, amid the solidarity, ugly undercurrents surfaced: anti-immigrant trolls flooded threads, with one viral post claiming “Open borders invite monsters,” drawing rebukes from civil rights groups like the ACLU, who warned against scapegoating Latinos.

The victims’ families, shielded by anonymity, spoke through advocates. The 7-year-old’s parents described sleepless nights and therapy sessions, while the 9-year-old’s mom recounted the horror of realizing her child was stalked on video. “He watched her like prey,” she told News 12 Long Island, tears streaming. DA Tierney, flanked by stone-faced detectives at the November 17 presser, urged tips: “If you shopped there and saw something off, come forward—there could be more.” The hotline (631-852-6184) lit up immediately, with at least five new leads reported by midday November 18.

Legal Showdown: From Indictment to Verdict, What’s Next?

Velasquezgomez’s next court date looms on January 14, 2026, where prosecutors will push for a swift trial. His defense, led by attorney Marco Caviglia, dismisses the charges as “overzealous misinterpretation,” arguing the videos show accidental contact in a jammed aisle. But experts doubt that’ll fly—New York Penal Law defines first-degree sexual abuse as any intentional touching of intimate parts for sexual gratification, and the genital-touching footage seals it as predatory. If convicted on all counts, sentencing could hit 25 years, factoring in the multiple victims and vulnerability.

This saga spotlights systemic gaps. Retail giants like TJ Maxx face lawsuits yearly for lax security— a 2023 class-action in California netted $10 million after similar groping claims. Nationally, the DOJ reports over 60,000 child sexual abuse cases annually, with retail venues accounting for 15%—often due to understaffed loss-prevention teams. Suffolk PD’s crack Special Victims Unit, credited with a 20% conviction bump since 2023, used AI-enhanced video analysis here, a tool now eyed for wider rollout.

As the community heals, questions linger: Why no earlier alerts? Could staff training spot “loiterers” faster? And for immigrant-heavy areas like Suffolk (home to 20,000 Hondurans), does fear of deportation silence witnesses? Velasquezgomez’s legal status—deportable post-conviction—adds ICE scrutiny, but Tierney insists justice comes first.

In the end, this TJ Maxx terror underscores a brutal truth: Predators thrive in plain sight until vigilance intervenes. Long Island’s parents, from PTA meetings to protest lines, vow no more. “We’ll shop smarter, watch closer, and fight harder,” one dad declared at the vigil. For the three little girls whose innocence was stolen, the road to recovery is just beginning—but with a roaring community at their back, accountability feels closer than ever.