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Lawrence Bottone of Stamford faces up to 25 years in prison after allegedly assaulting young men last year in Westchester County, N.Y., a district attorneys office statement says.
Bottone would pose as Dr. Hunter and approach young men, saying he was recruiting them for an intelligence service and would then torture the young men as part of their training sessions, the statement says.
The victims signed written documents to participate in the "training," which consisted of interrogation scenarios in which the men would strip, be blindfolded, whipped and have needles stuck under their fingernails, the statement says. One victim contacted Westchester County police, which began an investigation that resulted in a search warrant being executed on Bottones vehicle.
Police found documents related to the reported crimes as well as a training kit that included needles, rope, strapping tape, vegetable oil and other materials, the statement said. Bottone was arrested July 1, 2010.
The victim that contacted police was approached at the Palisades Center Mall on May 19, 2010, by Bottone and was told to meet him at Westchester Community College, where Bottone said he worked as a professor. On May 21, 2010, the two met and Bottone told the victim about the training and forced him to strip and assaulted the victim in a gym locker room, the statement says.
The investigation is continuing, and police have found up to four alleged victims. Bottone will be arraigned Friday.
Bottone is charged with first-degree assault, 13 counts of second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, four counts of second-degree criminal Impersonation, seven counts of second-degree unlawful imprisonment, and two counts of forcible touching.
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