Bentlley
GOSHEN – A Newburgh man was sentenced to nine years in state prison for burglarizing his former girlfriend’s apartment.
Garfield Bentley, 27, was convicted after a jury trial of burglary, eight
counts of criminal contempt, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood
circulation, stalking and falsely reporting an incident. Bentley
allegedly was seen peering through the apartment window of his ex-girlfriend
at 9 p.m. on October 15, 2016 in violation of an order of protection.
At about 11 p.m. that day, Bentley approached the woman as she was outside her apartment, grabbed her hair and throat, and poured what appeared to be motor oil over her head. When the victim retreated into her building, Bentley forced his way partially into the building to continue his attack.
The woman and her family successfully pushed him out.
Bentley continually harassed and stalked the victim including falsely reporting to police, using an assumed name, that the victim had been chasing children with a machete.
Prosecutors had recommended to the court that he be sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision on the burglary charge and a consecutive two to four years in state prison on one of the criminal contempt convictions. Orange County Court Judge Nicholas DeRosa imposed a shorter prison sentence but concurred with the five years of post-release supervision.
