POUGHKEEPSIE – The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court, Second Judicial Department, has affirmed a February 27, 2013, Dutchess County Court conviction of Christopher Loftus, formerly of Red Hook.
Loftus pled guilty to the crime of first-degree rape admitting he had sexual intercourse with an unconscious 14-year-old girl, but he contended that his guilty plea was not entered knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently.
The appeals court rejected that argument saying he did know what he was doing when he pled guilty.
The court also said, “Contrary to the defendant’s contention, his factual recitation during the plea allocution did not impose upon the county court a duty to inquire about a possible intoxication defense.”
Loftus also argued that he received ineffective legal counsel at trial, which was also rejected by the appeals court.
