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Isaiah Q. James is led into the courtroom at the Southampton Village Justice Center on Friday, January 6. BRENDAN J. O'REILLY
A man who worked at the Hamptons Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing in Southampton for 11 years was arraigned on Friday, January 6, on four felony charges related to, authorities said, the attempted sexual abuse and attempted rape of one of the nursing home’s residents.
Isaiah Q. James, 33, of Mastic Beach pleaded not guilty in Southampton Village Justice Court and was ordered jailed until he could post bail of $100,000 cash or credit, or $200,000 bond.
Another aide who works at the center walked in on James on October 30, 2022, after he got into bed with a nursing home resident who has Alzheimer’s disease and cannot speak or move, the prosecutor said during the arraignment. The prosecutor said that James moved the resident’s body and laid beside her, and that the other employee observed that James had his pants down and was moving as if he was having sex with the victim. The victim’s diaper was pulled down and twisted, the prosecutor added.
According to the felony complaint prepared by Southampton Village Police detectives, James “attempted to have sexual intercourse” with the victim.
James ran away from the facility but later returned to speak with police, admitting to getting into bed with the victim to masturbate and said that he had done so before, the prosecutor said, adding that the victim’s DNA was found on James’s penis.
The charges against James are attempted rape in the first degree, attempted sexual act in the first degree, attempted sex abuse in the first degree and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, all felonies.
In arguing for bail to be set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond, the prosecutor said that although James has no prior criminal record, he had initially fled and he now faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count.
James’s attorney, Robert Macedonio, asked the judge to set bail at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond considering that James did return, cooperated with police for the last two months and consented to having his phone searched.
However, citing “the seriousness of the charges,” acting Village Justice Michael Solomon agreed with the prosecutor that bail of $100,000 cash — $25,000 per felony charge, the justice said — or $200,000 bond was appropriate.
James is due to return to Village Justice Court on January 11.
A woman who answered the phone at the Hamptons Center on Thursday afternoon said the facility is cooperating with law enforcement but due to patient confidentiality cannot discuss the details of the matter. The woman then hung up before identifying herself or taking any questions.
Southampton Village Police Detective Sergeant Herman Lamison reported in a press release on Friday that village detectives worked with the New York State Police Forensic Identification on the investigation. After the Suffolk County Crime Lab returned DNA testing results on December 20, 2022, and further investigation, detectives arrested and charged James on January 5, Lamison said.
