Cameras in New York showed decorated FDNY Captain Wilbert Riera for the first time since his arrest on child sex abuse charges. Police believe Riera abused two boys in the Hollywood area during a recent visit to California. Kim Baldonado reports from downtown LA for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, 2014.
A New York City Fire Department captain was charged Monday morning with sexually molesting two young boys in Los Angeles.
Wilbert Riera, 51, a 21-year-veteran of the department, is charged with six felony counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
The complaints allege the incidents took place less than three weeks ago, Sept. 12 through Sept. 14, in Hollywood. It is unclear how he knew the two vicitms.
Riera returned to New York after his visit to Los Angeles, and was arrested Friday. He appeared in a New York courtroom Monday, wearing a grey sweatshirt and shackled at the wrists. He waived extradition and will return to LA Oct. 9 to stand trial.
Prosecutors said they plan to ask for his bail to be set at $2.6 million.
LAPD is continuing to investigate and if convicted, Riera faces up to life in state prison.
An FDNY spokesman told the Associated Press Riera has been suspended for 30 days without pay, the maximum permitted under state law.
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Riera works as a paramedic with the department, and just last year was honored during a FDNY ceremony.
NBC4 has also learned he's part of a group of NY firefighters suing the department for unpaid wages and overtime. That case is still pending.
Kim Baldonado and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report.
