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Area Woman Admits Abusing Granddaughter, Causing Her To Go Blind
A Hudson Valley grandmother has pleaded guilty to assaulting her baby granddaughter, causing the child to go blind.
Orange County resident Kimberly Bennett, age 45, of Middletown, made the plea on Wednesday, Oct. 27.
The assault, which occurred in February 2020, at Bennett’s home on Bedford Avenue, in the City of Middletown, resulted in the child suffering serious physical injury including damage to her brain and eyes, and rendered the child blind, said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler.
According to Hoovler, Middletown Police officers and ambulance personnel …
Former NY Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Sentenced For Conviction On Corruption Charges
Former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, once one of the state’s most powerful politicians, will spend the better part of a decade behind bars after being convicted on corruption charges.
A federal judge in Manhattan sentenced Silver, 76, to six-and-a-half years in prison on Monday, July 20 following his 2018 conviction. The former Democratic leader, who acknowledged his wrongdoing at his sentencing, was also ordered to pay a $1 million fine.
Silver, who at one point represented most of Manhattan, was found guilty of two counts of honest service wire fraud, two counts of hones…
Ex-Leader Admits She Stole $21K From Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts Groups In Area
A former committee chairperson for a church-sponsored Boy Scout and Cub Scout groups in the area admitted to stealing thousands of dollars from the organizations.
Orange County resident Kelley Zamenick, 43, of New Windsor, pleaded guilty this week to fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony, and petty larceny, a misdemeanor, admitting that from 2016 through 2018, she stole approximately $21,000 from scouting groups sponsored through the Gardnertown Methodist Church.
Zamenick had been initially charged with two counts of grand larceny and eight counts of falsifying business records, according t…
Rockland Trio Nabbed In Scam To Transmit Money From Illegal Activity
Three area residents have been arrested and charged for running a multi-million dollar scheme to operate an unlicensed money transmitting businesses to launder money derived from illegal activities.
Rockland residents Chaskel Landau, 45, of Spring Valley, Alter Landau, 64, of Spring Valley, and Joseph Neumann, 78, of Monsey, were arrested this week, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced. The three were tied to an elaborate scheme to transmit approximately $6 million.
The three were arrested following an FBI sting operation.
It is alleged that between September 2014 and August 2016, the t…
Man Slams Into Pole While Driving Drunk At More Than Twice Legal Limit, Police Say
A man was arrested for felony DWI after he allegedly crashed his vehicle while driving at more than twice the legal limit in Ulster County.
Christopher M. Claussell, 43, of Saugerties, was arrested around 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 3, when Saugerties Police responded to the area of165 Main St., for a reported motor vehicle crash, Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra said.
Once police arrived on the scene they found that Claussell was driving a 2016 Ford Fusion on Main Street when his vehicle left the roadway and hit a utility pole, Sinagra said.
At the time of the crash…
Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead
A Hudson Valley teacher who was recently accused of the alleged sexual abuse of an elementary student years ago was found dead at his Orange County home.
Shawn Memmelaar, a retired Newburgh physical education teacher, was found dead Sunday, Oct. 13, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Town of Goshen Police said.
Memmelaar, who was a gym teacher at the now-closed Union Grove Elementary School in Newburgh, had denied the allegations after a recently filed lawsuit claimed he abused student Sandra Burke, 55, from 1969 through 1975.
Burke's attorney, Evan Foulke, told News 12, that Memmelaar wou…
22-Year-Old Scammed Area Resident Into Sending $8,000, Police Say
A 22-year-old man has been charged after police say he scammed an area resident out of $8,000.
New York State Police say Juan Gil-Delao, 22, of Clifton, New Jersey was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 19.
According to police, an Orange County resident in Wallkill reported having been tricked into sending bail money to help a relative on Saturday, July 27.
The victim reported being contacted by someone alleging to be a defense attorney and that a nephew had been arrested out of state and needed bail money, police say.
The victim told police that he was instructed to send $8,000 in cash via…
Authorities: Weapons Arsenal Found In BMW After Surgeon Threatens Estranged Wife In Westchester
Police in Westchester arrested a well-known surgeon who lives on Long Island with a weapons cache after he was overheard threatening his estranged wife, investigators said.
Great Neck resident Matthew Bonanno, 47, who practices in the upper East Side in Manhattan, was overheard threatening his wife, who lives in Tuckahoe, officials said.
Police were contacted by acquaintances on Monday, Aug. 12, who overheard the threats against Bonanno's estranged wife and her family, and when they intervened, he was found with an illegal Glock and an arsenal in his BMW.
Officers responded to Growle…
Former State Senate Leader, Son Sentenced To Prison For Corruption Convictions
Former New York State Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam Skelos, have been sentenced for corruption charges.
In Manhattan federal court, Dean Skelos was sentenced to 51 months in prison, while the younger Skelos got four years behind bars after being convicted twice of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, three counts of extortion under color of official right, and three counts of soliciting and receiving bribes.
In addition to the prison time, Dean Skelos was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine and sentenced …
Supervisor Resigns After Pleading Guilty To Stealing Unemployment Benefits
A town supervisor in the Hudson Valley pleaded guilty to stealing unemployment benefits while he was being paid as an elected official and will resign from his position, according to the State Attorney General's Office.
Alex Jamieson, supervisor of the town of Chester in Orange County, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of offering a false instrument for filing, the AG's Office said.
Under the plea agreement, he is required to pay full restitution of $5,695, resign from his position, and will be sentenced to a conditional discharge, they added.
Jamieson, who is paid $79,000 a year as sup…
