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August 22, 2005
Queens Scoutmaster Charged With Alleged Sexual Abuse
The scoutmaster of a Great Neck Boy Scout troop is being held on charges of sexually abusing and taking sexually explicit photographs of a 13-year-old member of his troop on numerous occasions over the past several years.
Ronald E. Occhipinti, of 58-14 East Hampton Boulevard in Bayside Queens, works for a Long Island burglar alarm system company and is the scoutmaster of Troop 183 in Great Neck.
He has been charged with one count of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, five counts of use of a child in a sexual performance, five counts of criminal sexual act in the second degree, five counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child, 20 counts of possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child, 20 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and five counts of sexual abuse in the second degree.
He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
“The allegations are shocking,” Queens district attorney Richard Brown said. “A scoutmaster is in a unique position to guide young boys through some very difficult years. In this case, the defendant is accused of cruelly using his position of trust and responsibility to sexually abuse and take advantage of an innocent boy. Those who commit such heinous crimes such as alleged in this case are put on notice that my office will vigorously prosecute such cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the district attorney, Occhipinti is being charged with bringing the alleged victim to his residence on various occasions between Sep, 1, 2003, and Aug. 6, 2005, and having the child remove his clothes and pose in lewd and obscene position, which the defendant then photographed. According to the complaint, the defendant is also accused of sexually abusing the victim by performed sexual acts on him.
Posted by Nealus at August 22, 2005 01:40 PM
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