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Two Rockland County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officers Accused of Mistreating Female Inmates

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NEW CITY, NY – Two Rockland County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officers have been indicted on multiple criminal charges regarding the mistreatment of female inmates.

District Attorney Tom Walsh announced multiple indictments, that were handed down by a grand jury, of two Rockland County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officers. The officers were indicted on multiple misdemeanors and felonies. The indictments were a result of an ongoing investigation into sexual mistreatment of female minority inmates.

John Kezek, 35, of Stony Point, NY, was indicted on 5 counts of Official Misconduct (misdemeanor). Kezek engaged in a course of sexual harassment of more than one female minority inmate.

Christopher Taggart, 39, of New City, NY, was indicted on 21 counts of Official Misconduct (misdemeanor) and 2 counts of Promoting Prison Contraband (felony). Taggart unlawfully introduced dangerous contraband into the Rockland County Jail and he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with female minority inmates.

Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said “The indictments today bring to light an ongoing issue that arises from time to time of the mishandling of females incarcerated in the corrections systems. A defense attorney notified my office that her client was a victim of intimidation, misconduct, and sexual harassment which prompted this investigation. Far too often, female inmates are not considered to have the same rights as those of us who are walking the streets. We can’t allow a systemic issue of female minorities being mistreated in our jails. My office has worked diligently to ensure that ALL of our residents, whether incarcerated or not, are treated fairly and have their rights protected. The courage of these females who came forward to report this sexual harassment cannot be understated. They took a stand against individuals who were in a position of authority and have opened themselves up to further harassment and intimidation. The Rockland County District Attorney’s Office will insure that this will not happen and vigorously prosecute anyone who dares to cross that line.”

 

 

Both Kezek and Taggart will appear for arraignments in County Court in the near future. At this time, Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco or County Executive Ed Day have not commented on the story (we will update the article when they do.)

Sheriff Falco has been under fire for sharing multiple alleged racist posts on his personal Facebook page. Yesterday marked the second week protesters have gathered in New City calling on Sheriff Falco to resign. Calls for his resignation have come from both Rockland United and Clarkstown WTDWYTK, along with local pastors. On Monday, the Rockland County Democratic Executive Committee will be voting on whether the committee should call for his resignation.

Crime

Haverstraw Police Arrest Suspect in Connection with Residential Burglary

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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

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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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