In separate arrests, eight men are accused of sexual abuse. Most of the alleged sexual abuse was with underage children.

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Vernon E. Copeland III, 36, of Newburgh was indicted for allegedly transporting a minor from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Newburgh with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with the minor. He was charged by criminal complaint on November 20, 2020, and arrested this month in Tampa, Florida.

“A 13-year-old child should be spending time playing sports and going to school, not worrying about being used by an alleged criminal for his own sexual gratification. We must do better as adults in protecting these innocent children because even one being victimized by a predator is too many. A first step in helping someone who may be a victim - call 1-800-CALL-FBI if you have any information about Mr. Copeland," FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said.


 

A Yonkers man who sexually abused a woman after he tricked her into allowing him into her Nepperhan Avenue apartment in Yonkers, and who was later caught fondling himself by a passerby after he fled the scene, was found guilty following a one-week jury trial.

Folarin Soluade, 38, was found guilty of burglary as a Sexually Motivated Felony and public lewdness, a misdemeanor. Soluade, a discretionary persistent felony offender, faces a sentence ranging from a minimum of 16 years to life to a maximum of 25 years to life in state prison.

At approximately 10 a.m. on June 24, 2020, Soluade knocked on doors in a Nepperhan Avenue apartment building in Yonkers attempting to gain entry. Posing as someone who was there to fix a pipe, a female resident, who did not speak or understand English, allowed Soluade inside her apartment, believing he was sent by the landlord to do repairs on the bathroom. Once inside, Soluade exposed himself by dropping his pants.

The female resident screamed and ran into the hallway, but Soluade, who was still undressed, followed her and pinned her against the wall. As he tried to silence her and assault her, another resident intervened and Soluade fled the building. He was later seen in the parking lot fondling himself, which prompted a second victim to call the police. When Yonkers Police arrived, the first victim also reported her attack.


 

New York State Police Sullivan County Child Abuse Unit arrested Terrence Riley, age 54 of Newark, NJ. Riley was a suspect in a 2016 hotline report investigated by the New York State Police and Child Protective Services in Sullivan County. He left the area soon after.

Riley was charged with Predatory Sexual Assault of a Child, an A-II felony. He was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.


 

New York State Police Catskill barracks arrested Luis D. Fernandez, 45, of Kingston in relation to a sexual assault investigation. A four-month-long investigation revealed Fernandez had sexual intercourse with a child less than fifteen years old, police say.

Fernandez was charged with rape second degree, a felony. Fernandez was remanded into the custody of the Greene County Sheriff in lieu of $10,000 cash bail, $20,000 bond, and $50,000 secured bond.


 

New York State Police in Poughkeepsie arrested Sean Hulsmann, 50, of Poughkeepsie, for use of a child in a sexual performance and possession of a sexual performance by a child, both felonies.

Following a law enforcement tip, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Poughkeepsie began an investigation that revealed Hulsmann was in possession of child pornography containing images of a child familiar to him, officials say.

Hulsmann was arraigned before the city of Poughkeepsie Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail, $150,000 partially secured bond, or $500,000 bond.


 

In June, the New Paltz Police Department Detective Division was notified that two teen girls were sexually assaulted by the same adult man. The two victims, a 13-year-old female and a 14-year-old female notified a school employee, who then contacted the New Paltz Police Department.

Following a two-month-long investigation, probable cause was established to charge 22-year-old Jeffrey Arenas of Wallkill with both
incidents, police say.

It was determined that Arenas befriended the teens by providing them with vape pens, police say. He was charged with rape and criminal sexual act, felonies. He was remanded to the Ulster County Jail on $50,000 cash bail, $100,000 bond, or $200,000 Insurance bond.


 

New York State Police Troop F Child Abuse Unit in Orange County, arrested 35-year-old Edare Diaz Flores of Newburgh for course of sexual conduct against a child endangering the welfare of a child.

Diaz Flores is accused of engaging in a course of sexual contact with a child who was less than thirteen years old. Diaz Flores was released on his own recognizance.

 


The Village of Liberty Police Department arrested Kevin Norris, 26 of Las Vegas, Nevada after an investigation into the sexual abuse of a child in Liberty.

The arrest stems from an investigation into an incident that occurred in June of 2020, police say. Norris was located by Village of Liberty Police detectives in the Town of Canton in St. Lawrence County and arrested without incident.

He was transported to the Town of Liberty where he was arraigned on charges of sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. He was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail, $10,000 secured bond or $15,000 partially secured bond.

Nearly 30 High-Risk New York Sex Offenders Recently Moved in Hudson Valley

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