Skip to main content

Grand Jury Indicts Locust Valley Teacher for Inappropriate Sexual Contact with 14 Students Benstock charged with 31 counts after additional victims came forward

MINEOLA, NY - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that a Bayville resident has been indicted by a grand jury on 31 counts for inappropriate sexual contact with 14 children.

John E. Benstock, 47, of Laurel Place in Bayville, is charged with 15 felony counts of Course of Sexual Contact Against a Child, two felony counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and 14 misdemeanor counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He faces up to seven years in prison for each felony count. Benstock was arraigned today before the Hon. Norman St. George in Nassau County Court, Mineola. Bail was set at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash. He is due back in court July 15, 2011.

Rice said that as early as 2000, Benstock, a Locust Valley teacher, engaged in inappropriate contact with students in orchestra classes at two Locust Valley elementary schools and during private lessons in the students’ homes. All of the children were under 11 years old when the charged events occurred.

Benstock was arrested on misdemeanor charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child on May 9, 2011. Additional victims came forward following his arrest. The Locust Valley School District reassigned Benstock to his home, with pay, since his first arrest.

“Parents trusted this defendant to teach their children music, but he abused these innocent kids for his own sick pleasure” Rice said. “My office will aggressively prosecute this case to make sure this defendant never puts another child at risk again.”

The investigation was conducted by Detectives Edwin Trujillo and Reinaldo Pacheco of Nassau County Police Department’s Special Victims Squad and the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau. Assistant District Attorney Silvia Finkelstein is prosecuting the case for the District Attorney. Benstock is represented by Joseph Tacopina, Esq.

Anyone with information regarding additional victims is encouraged to contact the Nassau County Police Department Special Victims Squad at (516) 573-4022.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

15 Gang Members Convicted on Conspiracy, Weapons Possession, Firearms Trafficking Charges Case Follows Recent Convictions of 137th Street Crew and East Harlem Narcotics Trafficking Organization

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the results of the investigation and prosecution of one of Central Harlem’s most destructive criminal street gangs, referred to as “ONE TWENTY-NINE” or “GOODFELLAS/THE NEW DONS,” which terrorized the neighborhood surrounding West 129th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues. Thirteen members of the gang have previously pleaded guilty to importing, possessing, and using firearms over the course of the conspiracy.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Myth, The Matrix, and The Malpractice: Unpacking the Sophia Stewart Saga

The internet loves a good underdog story, especially one where a lone creator battles Hollywood giants. Few tales have captivated online forums and social media quite like that of Sophia Stewart, the woman who famously sued the creators of The Matrix and The Terminator, claiming they stole her work, "The Third Eye." Her story is a complex tapestry woven with claims of stolen genius, judicial conflicts, and attorney negligence. Let's untangle the legal facts from the compelling narrative and examine the heart of her claims. The Core Allegation: "The Third Eye" and the Blockbusters Sophia Stewart alleged that her copyrighted manuscript, "The Third Eye," conceived in 1981 and finalized in 1983, was the blueprint for two of the most iconic sci-fi franchises: The Terminator (first film 1984) and The Matrix (first film 1999). From her perspective, the similarities were undeniable. Stewart’s supporters often point to broad, impactful themes and ev...
3 comments
Read more

Charlie Kirk Was Right, and Charlie Kirk Was Wrong: The Enduring Legacy of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative commentator, has argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was unnecessary, contending that the 14th Amendment should have been sufficient to guarantee equal rights. There's a compelling argument to be made for both sides of this statement. Let's break down where Kirk was right and, more importantly, where historical context reveals he was profoundly wrong. Where Charlie Kirk Was "Right" (In Theory) Kirk's theoretical point hinges on the idea that fundamental constitutional principles, if interpreted and enforced correctly, should have negated the need for additional legislation. And, in a perfect world, he would be correct. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, explicitly states that "no State shall... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The intent was to ensure all citizens, particularly newly freed African Americans, were treated equally under the law. If this ...
Post a Comment
Read more