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Crime

Haverstraw Man Sentenced To State Prison Following Jury Trial Conviction On Felony Sexual Abuse Charge

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5 months ago

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Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced today that Elmer Oviedo Sandoval, 47 of Haverstraw, New York was sentenced to six years in state prison following an August 8, 2024, conviction after a Rockland County jury trial on one count of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the Second Degree (Class D Felony).
From 2016 to 2019, beginning when the victim was nine years old, the defendant subjected her to sexual contact on multiple occasions while she resided in two separate residences within the Town of Ramapo. In 2023, when the victim 16 years old,  disclosed the previous abuse by the defendant to her mother and it was reported to the Ramapo Police Department.
District Attorney Tom Walsh said, “Sexual abuse of a minor is a heinous crime, leaving victims with lasting physical, emotional, and psychological effects. I admire the courage of the victim in this case who bravely came forward to tell her story. I commend the thorough and professional prosecution by the Assistant District Attorneys and investigation by the Ramapo Police Department working with the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims. My Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect and keep innocent children in our community safe.”
On October 29, 2024, the defendant was sentenced by Judge Anne Bianchi to six years in state prison followed by ten years of post-release supervision. Once the defendant is released from prison, he will be required to register as a Sex Offender.
The investigation was conducted by the Town of Ramapo Police Department with assistance from the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Gerard M. Damiani III and Senior Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Deluca prosecuted the case.

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Crime

Haverstraw Police Arrest Suspect in Connection with Residential Burglary

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24 hours ago

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April 1, 2025

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On March 31, 2025, the Haverstraw Police Department located and arrested Carlos Sepulveda, 43, of West Haverstraw, New York, in connection with a residential burglary that recently occurred. Mr. Sepulveda was identified as the suspect depicted in a circulated image related to the incident.
The arrest stemmed from an investigation into a reported incident where a suspect allegedly entered a residence and stole a package.
Mr. Sepulveda has been charged with the following:
Burglary 2nd Degree (Class C Felony)
Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree (Class B Misdemeanor)
Petit Larceny (Class A Misdemeanor)
Following his arrest, Mr. Sepulveda was arraigned in Clarkstown Justice Court. He was subsequently remanded to the Rockland County Correctional Facility.

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Crime

Rockland County Court Rejects Convicted Murderer’s Eighth Attempt To Vacate Conviction

Published

7 days ago

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March 27, 2025

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Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II, announced today that, in a decision issued on March 25, 2025, Rockland County Court Judge Kevin F. Russo rejected the latest attempt by convicted murderer Amer Zada to have his conviction vacated. The court noted that this motion is the eighth time Zada has sought to reverse or vacate his conviction.
In 1980, Zada was convicted of the murder of seventeen-year-old Shirley Smith in a Village of Nyack parking lot. He was also convicted of Attempted Sodomy in the First Degree and Aggravated Sexual Abuse as a result of his attack on Ms. Smith. At his trial, Zada was represented by William Kunstler, a world-renowned defense attorney who had gained notoriety for successfully defending many high profile and controversial clients.
In its decision, the court described the defendant’s current motion as being largely based on Zada’s claim that certain documents were not turned over to him prior to trial.
“The court found that Zada had failed to adequately establish this speculative claim as he provided no direct evidence that he had never received the documents. I would like to commend Executive Assistant District Attorney James Dolan for his dedication and professionalism representing the Office in this proceeding.” said District Attorney Tom Walsh.
The court also found that, even assuming that the documents had not been turned over, they were of little importance in the case against Zada and none of them were exculpatory within the meaning of the law. In addition, the court found that Zada’s motion to vacate his conviction raised only minor inconsistencies in the case against him, most of which were thoroughly explored by Mr. Kunstler during the trial. In conclusion, the court found that Zada had not offered anything to justify vacating his conviction.

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