Pawling resident Annette Strehle, 53, pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree assault and two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief following a confrontation with demonstrators protesting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi announced on Monday, Oct. 19.
Strehle was sentenced to six months in prison followed by five years of probation supervision. She was remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transitions Center to serve her sentence, and full orders of protection were issued for all victims.
The charges stemmed from an incident on Jan. 10, around 1 p.m., near Route 22 and East Main Street in Pawling. As Daily Voice previously reported, a group of demonstrators had gathered to protest recent ICE activity when Strehle exited her vehicle and confronted several participants.
Police first reported that she pushed multiple protesters during the encounter. A grand jury indictment later detailed more allegations, including that Strehle punched one woman in the chest, shoved another to the ground, and threw a third woman down while attempting to take her cellphone.
Prosecutors also said that Strehle damaged two demonstrators' eyeglasses.
All of the victims were older than 65, according to the District Attorney's Office.
As part of her guilty plea, Strehle admitted that she attempted to injure a demonstrator more than 10 years older than herself by forcibly shoving the person toward the ground, causing the victim to fall backward.
She also admitted to forcibly removing eyeglasses from two demonstrators and crushing them in her hands.
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