Croton Martial Arts Teacher Sex Abuse Trial Underway
Croton-on-Hudson instructor faces multiple charges in connection with numerous alleged incidents.
Frank DeMaria's sex abuse trial has begun in White Plains. Prosecutors say charges stem from incidents involving four of DeMaria's martial arts students. The Ossining resident faces the following charges:
• Three counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, class “D” violent felonies,
• Two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, class “D” violent felonies,
• Four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, class “A” misdemeanors.
DeMaria is an internationally known martial arts instructor who owned a studio in Croton. Prosecutors say DeMaria abused young girls at the studio between November 2009 and January 2011. The victims claim that DeMaria told them to grab his penis and to squeeze and pull it repeatedly.
As the trial got underway yesterday, DeMaria's attorney said that there were more than half-a-dozen parents at the classes where the abuse supposedly occurred, according to lohud.com.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THIS TRIAL? LET US KNOW BY CLICKING ON THE "COMMENT" BUTTON.
David B
8:26 am on Thursday, January 26, 2012
Your main page/email alert should not have said, "Sex Offender on Trial", as he has not had his trial yet, let alone a verdict.
Renea Henry
10:11 am on Thursday, January 26, 2012
David- Thank you for your observation. The headline for Wednesday's PatchCast has been changed. Anyone accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty and there should be no inference otherwise.
john
3:01 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Right..so now he's been convicted..His other crime is talking his students to death by his boring, self centered delusions. what a tool!