Jacob Daskal indicted for alleged rape of 15-year-old girl

A powerful Shomrim leader has been indicted in Brooklyn federal court for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl, authorities announced Thursday.

Jacob “Yanky” Daskal, 62, was charged in 2018 in state court for the alleged sexual abuse of the same girl — but federal prosecutors have stepped in and brought a new case against him, court records shows.

Federal officials declined to comment on why they’re also pursuing Daskal, who founded the Borough Park Shomrim — a private, Orthodox Jewish crime-patrol group associated with the NYPD’s 66th Precinct — some 30 years ago.

“A man who founded an organization aimed at creating a safer community should know the difference between right and wrong,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney, Jr. in a statement.

Daskal allegedly “abused his position of power in the Orthodox Jewish community to groom a vulnerable 15-year-old victim for a sexual relationship,” wrote Assistant US Attorney Erin Reid in a detention memo.

Between August and November of 2017, Daskal repeatedly raped the young girl at his Borough Park home and summer house in South Fallsburg, New York, which he reached via New Jersey, the memo alleges.

“The victim was afraid of the defendant because of his position of power in her community,” wrote Reid in the memo urging a federal judge to lock up Daskal without bail pending trial.

In the fall of 2017, Daskal helped the victim find a new school in Chicago, Illinois, where she moved and lived with a local family, the court document says.

He allegedly continued to contact the young girl, requesting that she send him nude photos and strip for him during Skype sessions, court papers charge.

On Nov. 5, 2017, Daskal flew to Chicago for one day, where he booked a hotel room and allegedly raped the child there before returning home hours later.

In early 2018, the victim confided in a mentor about the abuse then reported it to the police. Daskal was arrested and charged in Brooklyn Supreme Court with third-degree rape and other raps.

He was sprung on a $75,000 bond — and the case is still pending. If convicted. of the top charge in state court, he faces a minimum of one 1/2 years in prison.

In federal court, he’s charged in a three-count indictment with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transportation of minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. If convicted of the top charge, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.

He’s expected to appeared Thursday afternoon before US Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.

For years Daskal donated thousands of dollars to local political campaigns, including those of ex-state Sen. Malcolm Smith and Sen. Simcha Felder.

Daskal’s lawyer didn’t immediately return a request for comment.