A dramatic tale reminiscent of a Hollywood thriller has taken a legal turn, as a father who heroically rescued his daughter from sex traffickers is now pursuing justice through the courts. Frank Gervasi, a 50-year-old father, has filed a $10 million lawsuit against two psychiatric facilities, accusing them of wrongdoing during his daughter’s recovery process.
In a real-life scenario echoing the plot of the film “Taken,” Gervasi managed to track down his daughter, Emmarae, who was only 14 at the time. She had been missing for nearly a month when he found her aboard a yacht near Long Island in December 2024. His relentless search ultimately led to her safe return from the hands of dangerous traffickers.
However, the ordeal did not end with her rescue. On April 3, Gervasi initiated a civil lawsuit, claiming that his daughter suffered further trauma while under the care of Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Center and Brentwood Residential Center. According to the legal complaint accessed by the Daily Mail, he alleges that staff at these facilities assaulted Emmarae during her recovery.
The lawsuit demands over $10 million in damages, citing the profound physical and emotional distress endured by both Gervasi and his daughter, who is now 16. A particular accusation is leveled against Deshaun McClean, a 43-year-old therapist at Sagamore, who is alleged to have inappropriately touched the teenager on multiple occasions.
McClean has been arrested and charged with child sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child, adding a grim chapter to an already harrowing story. The legal battle that lies ahead seeks accountability and justice for the suffering endured by Emmarae and her family.
He was arrested and charged with child sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.
Officials at the psychiatric center reportedly alerted Gervasi about the ‘inappropriate contact,’ but the suit alleges the abuse continued.
‘Less than a week later…defendant Deshaun McClean, whom the facility was warned about, and the father was assured would not be a threat to his daughter, sexually assaulted the minor while she was in the care and custody of Sagamore,’ Gervasi’s attorney wrote in the lawsuit.
Emmarae was 14 when she disappeared in December 2024, after 26 agonizing days her father rescued her from a yacht where she had been sex trafficked
Emmarae is seen being held by her father, Frank, in a photo from when she was younger
State worker Darryl Joyner, 58, is also accused by Suffolk Police of offering Emmarae drugs in exchange for seeing her nude while she was in the care of the Brentwood Residential Center, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Newsday.
The lawsuit also alleges a third state worker ‘assaulted’ the girl while she was at Brentwood, though that individual has not been criminally charged, according to the outlet.
McClean and Joyner, both free on cash bail, were charged in separate criminal complaints and are set to return to court in late April.
Emmarae, from East Patchogue, disappeared on December 9, 2024, after she went to retrieve some items from a Jeep outside her home on Tyrrell Street.
A large-scale search operation for the missing teenager ensued with her father working closely with local police to track her down.
In a surprising development, Gervasi discovered Emmarae 26 agonizing days later, aboard a large boat just off Main Street in Islip after he received an anonymous tip about her whereabouts.
In a video posted to Facebook, Frank Gervasi, Emmarae’s father, gave thanks to all those who helped in the search for his girl
Gervasi has now filed a $10 million lawsuit against two psychiatric facilities, alleging she was sexually assaulted by staff after she was rescued
Emmarae with her father Frank Gervasi and her stepmother Alyson
Pictured: The ship Buckheit allegedly held Emmarae captive in
The 56-foot yacht belonged to Francis Buckheit, pictured above. He was arrested on rape and kidnapping charges
‘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,’ Frank told News 12 at the time.
The 56-foot yacht belonged to Francis Buckheit, who was arrested on rape and kidnapping charges in connection with Emmarae’s case.
Over a two-year period, 23 people have been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged sex ring that trafficked the teen, Newsday reported.
Across two states, 19 men and four others have been accused of involvement in the trafficking network, per the outlet.
At least seven people have been indicted in connection to the case, according to Gervasi’s complaint.
