KINGSTON – The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court has affirmed the sexual abuse conviction of a Plattekill man who was found guilty in Ulster County Court of touching the intimate areas of his then-12-year-old stepdaughter.
Christopher Gertz. Jr., 46, was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison in connection with the September 2017 crime.
At trial in county court, Gertz did not testify or call any witnesses, but in his closing arguments, his attorney, Bryan Rounds – now a county court judge – suggested to the jury that the allegations against his client were a complete fabrication.
In his appeal, Gertz’s attorney, Matthew Hug of Albany argued several contentions including prosecutorial misconduct and that county court abused its discretion.
The morning after the assault had taken place, the victim told her mother and when she called Gertz, who was on his way to work, to come home, he fled to Indiana. He was tracked down, arrested and extradited back to New York to face trial.
The Ulster County District Attorney’s Office said at the time he was found guilty that this was Gertz’s third felony conviction. He had served state prison sentences on each of his two prior felony burglary convictions and also had five criminal misdemeanor convictions.
