Marine Sexually Abused Sleeping Hudson Valley Student
A U.S. Marine is heading to prison for a number of years after he admitted to fondling a sleeping Hudson Valley college student.
In 2017, Lance Corporal Kevin Guerrero of the United States Marines stationed at Stewart Air Force Base in New Windsor pleaded guilty in Ulster County Court to sexual abuse and burglary as a result of what officials describe as a series of "frightening incidents" which occurred in New Paltz in the early morning hours of Sept. 4, 2016.
Guerrero confessed he forced his way into multiple apartments and once inside sexually assaulted multiple young college students. On Sept. 4, 2016, Guerrero broke into three off-campus SUNY New Paltz student’s homes and attempted to sexually assault the female students while they were asleep.
One student told New Paltz police Guerrero sexually assaulted her as she slept. When the woman woke up, Guerrero fled.
The woman provided police with a description of Guerrero. New Paltz detectives soon learned there were two other incidents where a man who matched Guerrero’s description forced his way into nearby apartments. In both cases, the intruder was spotted by residents before any further crime was committed.
In June 2017, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison following a guilty plea to burglary and sexual abuse, both violent felony offenses.
Despite his waiving his right to appeal when pleading guilty, Guerrero appealed his sentence. He challenged the validity of his appeal waiver but claimed Ulster County Court exceeded its authority in requiring the waiver in the first place. He further challenged the voluntariness of his plea, claimed he was denied effective representation and that the negotiated sentence was unduly harsh and severe.
This week, the Appellate Division, Third Department after carefully addressing each of his arguments rejected them and unanimously affirmed his conviction, officials say.
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