Newhall
MONTICELLO – A man, who was convicted in Sullivan County Court on three counts of rape and other charges, was sentenced on Friday to 18 years in state prison followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. Judge Michael McGuire also imposed an order of protection for the victim.
Vernon Newhall, 50, of Bloomingburg, was found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a girl between the ages of 14 and 16 during the period from November 2014 and September 2016. Newhall engaged in several sex acts with the child. He was also convicted of criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child.
The events initially went unreported, but the victim eventually told a school nurse with the Sullivan County Family Violence Response Team being notified with an investigation that led to his arrest on November 5, 2016.
The team is comprised of the Department of Family Services, State Police, and the District Attorney’s Office and they investigate serious cases of child abuse in Sullivan County. It was formed in the wake of the murder of toddler Christopher Gardner in 1998.
“The sexual assault of our children will not be tolerated,” District Attorney James Farrell. “We will continue to investigate, arrest, prosecute and bring to justice these offenders and the sentence handed down today is a powerful message to all the victims of these crimes that they will be heard and we will seek justice on their behalf.”
Farrell said this victim “displayed tremendous courage and bravery in coming forward to confront her abuser and her bravery should empower others who are similarly situated to come forward.”
