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Yankees' Mariano Rivera, Wife, Covered Up Sexual Abuse In Westchester, Lawsuit Says Yankees' Mariano Rivera, Wife, Covered Up Sexual Abuse In Westchester, Lawsuit Says
Yankees' Mariano Rivera, Wife, Covered Up Sexual Abuse In Westchester, Lawsuit Says Baseball icon Mariano Rivera and his wife are both named in a new lawsuit alleging that the couple did not protect a young victim from being sexually abused by members of a Westchester-based church, some of which happened at their home.  The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court in Westchester County on Thursday, Jan. 16, alleges that a child referred to as "Jane A Doe" because of her young age was sexually abused by two people affiliated with New Rochelle-based Refuge of Hope Church.  The church began as a small ministry in Rivera's home and his wife, Clara, still works a…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Child Sex Abuser With Over 100 Victims Dies In NY Prison Decades After Conviction Child Sex Abuser With Over 100 Victims Dies In NY Prison Decades After Conviction
Child Sex Abuser With Over 100 Victims Dies In NY Prison Decades After Conviction A man who confessed to sexually abusing over 100 children died in a New York State prison after nearly three decades behind bars. Louis VanWie, 82, died at the Coxsackie Correctional Facility on Tuesday, Jan. 14, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) confirmed to Daily Voice. An official cause of death will be determined by the Greene County Coroner’s Office. VanWie was serving a 30-year sentence that began in April 1997 after he pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and sodomy in Rensselaer County, records show. He admitted to molesting more than 100…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Anesthesiologist Who Drugged, Sexually Assaulted Victim In Hudson Valley Gets Years In Prison Anesthesiologist Who Drugged, Sexually Assaulted Victim In Hudson Valley Gets Years In Prison
Anesthesiologist Who Drugged, Sexually Assaulted Victim In Hudson Valley Gets Years In Prison A former Putnam County anesthesiologist will spend years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing and assaulting a victim, officials announced.  Paul Giacopelli, a Southeast resident and former chief anesthesiologist at Putnam County Hospital, was sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 8, to four years in state prison, according to the Putnam County District Attorney's Office.  Giacopelli's sentencing follows his guilty plea on Aug. 21, 2024, to charges stemming from an incident in which he used a chemical substance to render his victim unconscious before sexually abusing her. Th…

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by Ben Crnic
News
New Lawsuits Allege Sexual Abuse At Westchester Juvenile Facility New Lawsuits Allege Sexual Abuse At Westchester Juvenile Facility
New Lawsuits Allege Sexual Abuse At Westchester Juvenile Facility Five former residents of a well-known juvenile center in Westchester have filed lawsuits against the facility alleging that they suffered sexual abuse while living there, according to attorneys representing the plaintiffs.  The lawsuits, filed in Westchester County Supreme Court on Wednesday, Dec. 18 by law firm Levy Konigsberg, name the Dobbs Ferry Children's Village campus, which operates residential foster care programs.  The plaintiffs, who were not named but were described as "brave survivors" by the attorneys, allege a pattern of sexual abuse enabled and perpetrated by …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Dog Helps Young Victim Testify Against Former Detective From Briarcliff Manor In Sex Abuse Case Dog Helps Young Victim Testify Against Former Detective From Briarcliff Manor In Sex Abuse Case
Wilson Frias Given 5 Years For Briarcliff Manor Sex Assault In a groundbreaking trial, a court-certified support dog named Eddie helped a young child testify against former NYPD detective Wilson Frias, leading to his conviction on charges of child sexual abuse in Westchester County. Frias, 52, of Briarcliff Manor, was sentenced to five years in prison and ten years of post-release supervision after a jury found him guilty of first-degree sexual abuse, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The abuse occurred on March 11, 2023, in Frias’s home during a playdate. The vic…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child A Hudson Valley man has admitted to sexually abusing a child repeatedly. Rockland County resident Luis Quinac-Morales, age 41, of Spring Valley, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh. Beginning in 2016, Quinac-Morales routinely sexually abused the 12-year-old girl in the Village of Spring Valley. The repeated sexual abuse consisted of sexual intercourse, Walsh said.  “The defendant in this case subjected a 12- year-old innocent child to horrific sexual abuse," Walsh said. "My Office works in collaboration with our partner…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Westchester HS After Retirement Announcement Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Westchester HS After Retirement Announcement
Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Westchester HS After Retirement Announcement A former teacher accused of taking a student behind a high school auditorium curtain in Westchester and kissing them returned to the district in a partial capacity for a year after announcing his retirement, officials said.  Hartsdale resident Michael Rubino, who taught music with Hastings Public Schools for over 20 years, was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 11 on charges connected to his alleged unwanted touching and kissing of an underage student at Hastings High School, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.  Earlier Report - Former Teacher…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Former Teacher Accused Of Touching, Kissing Student At High School In Westchester Former Teacher Accused Of Touching, Kissing Student At High School In Westchester
Former Teacher Accused Of Touching, Kissing Student At High School In Westchester A retired music teacher of more than two decades faces criminal charges after allegedly taking a student behind a high school auditorium curtain in Westchester and kissing them, officials announced. New, updated report - Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Westchester HS After Retirement Announcement Hartsdale resident Michael Rubino, age 63, was arrested in connection with an incident at Hastings High School in June involving the unwanted touching and kissing of an underage student, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Accordi…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Westchester Woman Shared Child Porn, Discussed Abusing Kids Online: Feds Westchester Woman Shared Child Porn, Discussed Abusing Kids Online: Feds
Westchester Woman Shared Child Porn, Discussed Abusing Kids Online: Feds Police in Connecticut worked with federal investigators to arrest a 23-year-old woman who authorities say shared child sexual abuse material online and discussed wanting to sexually abuse kids on social media.  Westchester County resident Sasha May, of Pelham, is charged with distributing child pornography, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  May is accused of sending the offending material to an undercover officer between December 2023 and May 2023 through the social media platforms Kik and Whisper. In conversations with the agent, May detailed her sexual interest in chil…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Hudson Valley Anesthesiologist Admits Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Victim Hudson Valley Anesthesiologist Admits Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Victim
Hudson Valley Anesthesiologist Admits Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Victim A chief anesthesiologist at a Hudson Valley hospital has admitted to drugging a victim and sexually abusing her while she was unconscious, officials announced.  Putnam County resident Paul Giacopelli of Southeast, who worked as chief anesthesiologist at Putnam County Hospital in Carmel, pleaded guilty to charges connected to his sexual abuse on Wednesday, Aug. 21, the Putnam County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday, Aug. 22.  According to the DA's Office, an investigation revealed that Giacopelli used a chemical to render his victim unconscious. He th…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Westchester Man Sexually Abused, Groomed Young Victim From Age 10 To 18: Here's His Sentence Westchester Man Sexually Abused, Groomed Young Victim From Age 10 To 18: Here's His Sentence
Westchester Man Sexually Abused, Groomed Young Victim From Age 10 To 18: Here's His Sentence A 53-year-old man from Westchester will spend decades in prison for sexually abusing a victim throughout their teenage years as well as amassing a large collection of child pornography, officials announced.  Fred Mastroianni, a resident of White Plains, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for grooming a young victim over the course of several years.  Additionally, he was convicted of receiving and distributing child pornography.  The announcement was made by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on Thursday, August 15th. According to federal of…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Dog In Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Dog In Hudson Valley
Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Dog In Hudson Valley A Hudson Valley man is facing charges after police say they received a complaint that he was having sexual contact with a dog. Late in the afternoon on Wednesday, June 12, in Ulster County, police arrested Michael J. Cook, age 39, of Saugerties. As a result of an ensuing investigation following the complaint, Cook was charged with sexual abuse and criminal mischief.   Cook was processed at the Saugerties Police Department, arraigned in the Town of Saugerties Justice Court, and released on his own recognizance to reappear in court later.

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by Daily Voice
News
Child Rape Plea: Hudson Valley Man Admits Abusing Victim Under Age Of 11 Child Rape Plea: Hudson Valley Man Admits Abusing Victim Under Age Of 11
Child Rape Plea: Hudson Valley Man Admits Abusing Victim Under Age Of 11 A man is facing years behind bars after formally confessing to sexually abusing a young child in the region. Orange County resident Justin Babb, age 41, of New Hampton, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual act in Orange County Court on Thursday, May 23. According to prosecutors, Babb admitted that he engaged in anal sexual conduct with the victim, who was under the age of 11, in August 2023. “This defendant’s unspeakable actions demand a lengthy prison sentence,” said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler. “It is inconceivable that a child could be subjected to the horrific acts perpe…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Northern Westchester Cab Driver Sexually Abuses Child For Year: Here's His Sentence Northern Westchester Cab Driver Sexually Abuses Child For Year: Here's His Sentence
Northern Westchester Cab Driver Sexually Abuses Child For Year: Here's His Sentence A 46-year-old cab driver from Northern Westchester will spend more than a decade in prison for grooming and sexually abusing a young girl for nearly a year, officials announced.  Peekskill resident Luis Urgiles was sentenced to 16 years in state prison for engaging in sexual conduct with a young girl, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday, April 23.  According to the DA's Office, Urgiles, a cab driver in Peekskill, met the victim's family when they were passengers in his cab. He then befriended them and began grooming the then-10-year-old…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Psychologist Sexually Abused Numerous Teens At NY Juvenile Lockup For Years, Police Say Psychologist Sexually Abused Numerous Teens At NY Juvenile Lockup For Years, Police Say
Psychologist Sexually Abused Numerous Teens At NY Juvenile Lockup For Years, Police Say A state psychologist is accused of sexually abusing numerous underage victims at a New York State juvenile detention center going back years. Maya Hayes, of Albany, was arrested Friday, April 12, following a New York State Police investigation into allegations of abuse at Columbia County’s Brookwood Secure Center, located in the town of Claverack. According to police, the 62-year-old sexually assaulted numerous victims at the facility over several years while employed as a clinician. No other details about the alleged abuse were made public.  Hayes' arrest followed a grand jury indic…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
23-Year-Old Man Gets Decades In Prison For Sexual Offenses Against 3 Children In Westchester 23-Year-Old Man Gets Decades In Prison For Sexual Offenses Against 3 Children In Westchester
23-Year-Old Man Gets Decades In Prison For Sexual Offenses Against 3 Children In Westchester A 23-year-old Westchester man will spend decades in prison for engaging in sexual acts with three children whom he physically and psychologically abused over several years, officials said. New Rochelle resident Jason Ricketts was sentenced on Thursday, April 4 to 21 years in prison for sexual acts involving three children, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced.  According to the DA's Office, Ricketts' crimes began in 2019, when he befriended children as young as 8 years old by going to locations where young people gathered and convincing them and their parent…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
K9 Helps Nab Man Caught With Child Porn In Hudson Valley: Authorities K9 Helps Nab Man Caught With Child Porn In Hudson Valley: Authorities
K9 Helps Nab Man Caught With Child Porn In Hudson Valley: Authorities A 53-year-old Hudson Valley man faces child pornography charges following a search of his residence, police announced. Putnam County resident John Towers of Mahopac was arrested on Friday, March 29 after he was caught in possession of images depicting the sexual abuse of children, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday, April 2.  According to the Sheriff's Office, Towers' arrest followed an investigation that began in February, when the office's Bureau of Criminal Investigation received information that a Town of Carmel resident had photos containing child pornography.…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Campground Kidnapping: Man Admits Abducting, Sexually Assaulting 9-Year-Old NY Girl Campground Kidnapping: Man Admits Abducting, Sexually Assaulting 9-Year-Old NY Girl
Campground Kidnapping: Man Admits Abducting, Sexually Assaulting 9-Year-Old NY Girl The man accused of kidnapping a 9-year-old girl from a New York state park and later sexually abusing her has formally confessed. Craig Ross Jr., age 47, pleaded guilty to kidnapping with intent to collect ransom and predatory sexual assault against a child as part of a plea deal in Saratoga County Court on Wednesday, Feb. 21. New York State Police said Ross abducted the child as she rode her bicycle in Moreau Lake State Park on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Earlier Report: New Update: Kidnapping Suspect Craig Ross Jr. Probed In Milton Murders Of 2 Women, Report Says Her mother called…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Trump Defamation Case: Westchester Juror Among Those Awarding E. Jean Carroll $83.3M In Damages Trump Defamation Case: Westchester Juror Among Those Awarding E. Jean Carroll $83.3M In Damages
Trump Defamation Case: Westchester Juror Among Those Awarding E. Jean Carroll $83.3M In Damages For the second time in less than a year, a Manhattan federal jury has ordered former President Donald Trump to pay columnist E. Jean Carroll, a longtime Hudson Valley resident, millions of dollars in damages for repeatedly defaming her. The seven men and two women – including Hudson Valley residents from Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties – awarded Carroll a combined $83.3 million after deliberating for three hours on Friday, Jan. 26. The other jurors were from New York County (Manhattan) and the Bronx. Specifically, jurors decided that Trump should pay Carroll $11 million to fund a…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Anesthesiologist Drugs, Sexually Assaults Victim: Police Hudson Valley Anesthesiologist Drugs, Sexually Assaults Victim: Police
Hudson Valley Anesthesiologist Drugs, Sexually Assaults Victim: Police An anesthesiologist faces charges after allegedly giving anesthesia to a victim without her knowledge and sexually assaulting her, police announced. Putnam County resident Paul Giacopelli of Southeast, age 59, was interviewed and arrested on Saturday, Dec. 30 on sexual abuse charges, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 3.  According to authorities, on Friday, Dec. 29, the Sheriff's Office was told that a female victim known to Giacopelli had been given anesthesia without her knowledge and was then sexually assaulted. This happened multip…

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by Ben Crnic
News
New Castle Man Tries To Rape Child, Meets With Undercover Agent Posing As Parent: DA New Castle Man Tries To Rape Child, Meets With Undercover Agent Posing As Parent: DA
New Castle Man Tries To Rape Child, Meets With Undercover Agent Posing As Parent: DA A Northern Westchester man faces attempted rape charges after setting up a meeting with an undercover agent posing as the parent of a pre-school-aged child who he intended to engage in sexual conduct with, officials announced.  New Castle resident Dustin Layme, age 26, was arrested on Thursday, Dec. 14 after attempting to rape a child in Greenburgh, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Dec. 20.  According to the DA's Office, Layme made online contact with an undercover law enforcement agent who had been posing as a young gir…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Suspect In 9-Year-Old's Kidnapping From NY Campground Pleads Not Guilty, Report Says Suspect In 9-Year-Old's Kidnapping From NY Campground Pleads Not Guilty, Report Says
Suspect In 9-Year-Old's Kidnapping From NY Campground Pleads Not Guilty, Report Says The man accused of kidnapping a 9-year-old girl from a New York campground has formally denied any wrongdoing, Albany station WTEN reports.  Saratoga County resident Craig Nelson Ross Jr., age 46, of Milton, pleaded not guilty to nine criminal charges in Saratoga County Court on Friday, Nov. 17, the outlet said. Ross is charged with the following: First-degree kidnapping Four counts of sexual assault Two counts of sexual abuse Endangering the welfare of a child Assault Ross was arrested Monday, Oct. 2, 48 hours after allegedly kidnapping the girl from a campground at Moreau Lake Stat…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Northern Westchester Teacher Hired In New District After Alleged Relationship With Student Northern Westchester Teacher Hired In New District After Alleged Relationship With Student
Northern Westchester Teacher Hired In New District After Alleged Relationship With Student A Hudson Valley school district is defending its decision to hire a teacher who allegedly sexually assaulted a student in another district just days before a civil suit was filed.  The lawsuit accuses the former teacher in Northern Westchester of grooming a then 16-year-old student at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt to have sexual relations on school grounds. The tenured teacher, identified as Alex Mendoza, age and hometown unknown, resigned in June after the filing lawyer contacted the Lakeland Central School District about the claim and he was removed from the classro…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Liable Again: Trump Defamed E. Jean Carroll Second Time By Denying Sexual Abuse, Judge Rules Liable Again: Trump Defamed E. Jean Carroll Second Time By Denying Sexual Abuse, Judge Rules
Liable Again: Trump Defamed E. Jean Carroll Second Time By Denying Sexual Abuse, Judge Rules Months after a jury concluded that former President Donald Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll decades ago and then defamed her by calling her a liar, a federal judge in New York has found Trump liable in Carroll’s second defamation lawsuit. In his ruling issued Wednesday, Sept. 6, in US District Court in Manhattan, Judge Lewis Kaplan said Carroll has already proven that Trump defamed her, and the upcoming trial will only decide how much the former president must pay her in damages. Wednesday’s ruling comes after a federal jury in the first lawsuit awarded Carroll, now age 79 and l…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Duo Sexually Assaults Teens In Trio Of Separate Incidents In Westchester: DA Duo Sexually Assaults Teens In Trio Of Separate Incidents In Westchester: DA
Duo Sexually Assaults Teens In Trio Of Separate Incidents In Westchester: DA Two men face a long list of charges after sexually assaulting teenage girls in a total of three separate incidents throughout Westchester, officials said.  Both Port Chester resident Richard Olmino, age 21, and 32-year-old Jose Mejia Lopez face sexual abuse charges after allegedly assaulting teenage girls in three separate incidents that happened in North White Plains, Port Chester, and Rye, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, Aug. 14.  Earlier Report: New Update: Suspect Caught After Assaulting 16-Year-Old At Park In Rye, Police…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Former HS Teacher Enticed Student To Engage In Sexual Activity In Westchester: Feds Former HS Teacher Enticed Student To Engage In Sexual Activity In Westchester: Feds
Former HS Teacher Enticed Student To Engage In Sexual Activity In Westchester: Feds A former Westchester County high school teacher from Fairfield County faces more than a decade in prison after allegedly enticing one of her 16-year-old students to engage in sexual activity while making her believe they were in a romantic relationship, federal officials said. Bethel resident Sandy Carazas-Pinez, age 34, has been indicted on charges related to her alleged sexual exploitation of one of her students while she was employed at a school in Yonkers, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, July 12.  According to federal officials…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
22-Year-Old Man Charged With Sex Abuse, Attempted Rape In Northern Westchester: Police 22-Year-Old Man Charged With Sex Abuse, Attempted Rape In Northern Westchester: Police
22-Year-Old Man Charged With Sex Abuse, Attempted Rape In Northern Westchester: Police A 22-year-old man was taken into custody in Northern Westchester and hit with sex abuse and attempted rape charges, police said.  Bedford Hills resident Luis Encarnacion Urrutia, age 22, was arrested on Wednesday, June 28 on sex abuse charges, according to Bedford Police.  Encarnacion Urrutia was charged with the following:  First-degree attempted rape; First-degree sexual abuse. He was then arraigned in the Town of Bedford Justice Court and taken to Westchester County Correctional Facility.  No further details about Encarnacion Urrutia's arrest could be pro…

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by Ben Crnic
News
E. Jean Carroll Wants New Damages From Trump After His Comments At CNN Town Hall, Report Says E. Jean Carroll Wants New Damages From Trump After His Comments At CNN Town Hall, Report Says
E. Jean Carroll Wants New Damages From Trump After His Comments At CNN Town Hall, Report Says Former President Donald Trump’s words at a televised town hall may come back to bite him if writer E. Jean Carroll gets her way. On Monday, May 22, Carroll asked a Manhattan federal court to award her a “very substantial” additional amount of damages in her civil sexual abuse and defamation case against Trump, CNN reports. According to the outlet, the move is in direct response to Trump’s appearance at a CNN town hall on May 10, in which he continued to deny Carroll’s claims that he sexually abused her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s, calling the allegation “fake”…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Enticing Minors Online: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Illegal Sexual Activity Enticing Minors Online: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Illegal Sexual Activity
Enticing Minors Online: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Illegal Sexual Activity A Hudson Valley man will spend decades in prison for using the internet to entice minors to engage in sexual activity, federal officials said.  Putnam County resident Marcelo Marin Vargas, age 45, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday, May 9 after pleading guilty to enticing minors to engage in illegal sexual activity over the internet, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.  According to federal officials, Vargas used a computer and the internet to persuade, entice, and coerce three underage girls to send him images and videos o…

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by Ben Crnic
News
'Donald Trump Raped Me,' Hudson Valley Accuser Testifies As Trial Starts 'Donald Trump Raped Me,' Hudson Valley Accuser Testifies As Trial Starts
'Donald Trump Raped Me,' Hudson Valley Accuser Testifies As Trial Starts E. Jean Carroll testified that she hasn’t had a romantic or sexual relationship since the 1990s, “because Donald Trump raped me,” The Washington Post reports. The New York columnist's remarks came on the first day of testimony in her civil battery and defamation trial against the former president, which continued in Manhattan on Wednesday, April 26. Earlier Report: Trump's 'Past Words, Actions' Cited In Judge's Ruling For Anonymous Jurors In Sex Assault Trial Carroll, now age 79 and living in the Hudson Valley, in Orange County, made headlines in June 2019 when she claimed in a cover stor…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Sexual Abuse Of 3-Year-Old Lands Hudson Valley Man In Prison For 20 Years Sexual Abuse Of 3-Year-Old Lands Hudson Valley Man In Prison For 20 Years
Sexual Abuse Of 3-Year-Old Lands Hudson Valley Man In Prison For 20 Years A Hudson Valley man has been sentenced to prison for the sexual abuse of a 3-year-old child and photographing the horrific crimes. Ulster County resident Benjamin Santiago, age 28, of Saugerties, was sentenced by Judge Bryan Rounds in Ulster County Court to 20 years to life on Monday, March 20. The sentence comes after a June 2022 conviction of predatory sexual abuse against a child, following an investigation by the Ulster County Family and Child Advocacy Center of Santiago’s crimes. The Advocacy Center was assisted by members of the Town of Saugerties Police Department. “This case has s…

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by Kathy Reakes