The Awareness Center closed. We operated from April 30, 1999 - April 30, 2014. This site is being provided for educational & historical purposes.
We were the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA); and were dedicated to ending sexual violence in Jewish communities globally. We did our best to operate as the make a wish foundation for Jewish survivors of sex crimes. In the past we offered a clearinghouse of information, resources, support and advocacy.
The licensed mental health professionals listed below were suggested by survivors of sexual abuse/assault who found these individuals to be helpful in their healing process.
Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a
recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if
the resources meet their own personal needs.
Arizona
Tuscon Kathleen Young, PhD 520-261-0265 Experienced working with both male and female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Also offers online therapy.
California
Lafayette A. Steven Frankel,
PhD Phone: 925-283-4800
Experienced working with PTSD and Dissociation.
Los Angeles Cynthia A Henrie, MFT, BCETS 323-829-3548 Andrew Susskind, LCSW 310-281-8681
Ojai Carolyn J.
Braddock, MA, PC Phone/Fax: 805-640-3744
Provides workshops on the
The Braddock Body
Process for survivors, professional training and consultations/coaching,
Retreats and Intensives for individuals, couples and families.
Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, UCLA Medical Center 310-319-4503 1250 Sixteenth Street Santa Monica, CA 90404
District of Columbia (Washington
DC)
Richard Chefetz, MD Phone: 202-966-0224
4612 49th St., NW, Washington DC 20016 Specializing in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders
Christine Courtois, PhD Phone: 202-955-5652
3 Washington Circle, NW, Suite 206, Washington DC
20037 Specializing in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders
Florida
Florida
Coalition Against Sexual Violence Phone: 888-956-7273
A statewide organization committed to victims and survivors
of sexual violence and the rape crisis programs who serve them.
Georgia
Athens Rusti Klien, MSW, MFT, LCSW Phone: 706-369-0697
Specializing in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders. Experienced working with orthodox survivors.
Illinois
ICASA (Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault) Phone: 217-753-4117
ICASA consists of 33 sexual assault crisis centers
and 26 satellite offices. Each center and satellite responds to victims of
sexual assault. Staff and volunteers provide counseling, education and advocacy
for victims and their families regardless of age, race or income.
Chicago Jeff Levy, MSW, LCSW Phone: 773-880-1314
Specializing in working with gay male survivors of
sexual trauma
Kathleen Young, PhD 773- 381-1922 Experienced working with both male and female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Also offers online therapy.
Frankfort Gail Roy, MA, ATR, LCPC Phone: (815) 469-4366
Specializing in Trauma, and creative therapies. Oak Park Richard Schwartz, PhD. LMFT Center for Self Leadership PO Box 3969, Oak Park, IL 60303 Phone: 708-383-2659 Fax: 708-383-2399
Skokie Mary Jo Barrett, MSW, LCSW Center for Contextual Change 9239 Gross Point Rd., Ste. 300, Skokie, IL 60077 (847) 676-4447
Vicki Polin, MA, LCPC A Creative Healing Center Trauma, Recovery and Empowerment Services P.O. Box 4824, Skokie, IL 60076 224-534-9155
Specializing in adult survivors of trauma. Offers both verbal and creative therapies. Experienced working with orthodox survivors (male
and female).
Maryland
Baltimore Robert Benedek, PhD 15 Walker Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21209 410-602-3805 Experienced working with orthodox survivors (male
and female). Pro Bono Counseling Project of Maryland Pro Bono Counseling Project hooks up individuals who
can't afford counseling with private practice mental health providers who
volunteer their services. They have some therapists who specialize
in working with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
410-323-5800
Joyanna Silberg, PhD 410-938-4974 Experenced working with sexually abused children.
Experienced working with orthodox survivors.
Owings Mills Eena Bass-Feld, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC Turn Around 10806 Reisterstown Rd., Suite 1-B, Owings Mills, MD
21117 Phone: (410) 998-9520 Individual and group therapy. Art and verbal therapy.
Wendy Hoffman, MSW, LCSW-C 443-418-6151
Individual counseling for survivors of sexual
violence.
Minnesota
St. Paul Mic Hunter, PhD, LMFT 357 Kellogg blvd., East, St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-224-4335 Experienced working with both male and female survivors.
Author of several books on child sexual abuse.
Missouri
Ballwin Mark Schwartz, PhD Castlewood Treatment Center 800 Holland Rd., Ballwin, MO 63021
Phone: 636-386-6611 Experienced working with both adult and children who
have been sexually victimized, eating disorders and also has experience working
with Juvenile Sex offenders and sexually reactive children. Clinical Director of Masters and Johnson Sexual Trauma
Program
Experienced working with adult survivors of child sexual abuse and the treatment of adolescent sex offenders and abuse reactive older children.
St. Louis Donald Jeffries, MSW Phone: 314-832-9415 Maiposa Men's Wellness Institute P.O. Box 190372, St. Louis, MO Specializes in working wiht Male survivors of sexual abuse.
Daniel Levin, PhD Phone: 314-567-1044, ext. 1 8515 Delmar Ave., Ste. 220, St. Louis, MO 63124 Specializes in working with both adults and child survivors of child abuse.
New Jersey
Summit Ava Schlesinger, MSW, LCSW
Phone: 908-277-2790
Works with both adults and children. Experienced
with PTSD and Dissociation
27 Christopher Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY
10014 The mission of the New York City Alliance Against Sexual
Assault is to develop and advance strategies, policies and responses that
prevent sexual violence and limit its destabilizing effects on victims, families
and communities.
Marcelo Abramovich, LCSW-R Phone: 212-655-3045 138 W. 25th Street, Ste. 623, New York, NNY Experienced working with gay survivors of sexual abuse/assault.
Women's Mental Health Consortium, 205 West End Avenue, Apt. 1A, New York, NY
10023 Experienced working with female survivors, orthodox
survivors.
Lisa Gilman, LCSW Phone: 212-727-7591
Experienced working with both male and female survivors,
orthodox survivors, PTSD and dissociative disorders.
Sarah Gundle,
PsyD. Phone: 646-256-9233
450 West 24th Street Suite 1F, New York, NY 10011 Fluent in English and Hebrew. Experienced working with both male and female survivors,
orthodox survivors, addictions, eating disorders, self injury, dissociative
disorders. Offers both individual and groups. Sensitive to gay/lesbian issues and sexual identity
issues.
Jenny Heinz, LCSW, BCD Phone: 212-362-0606
Experienced working with dissociation and PTSD.
Experienced with clergy sexual abuse and working with orthodox
survivors.
Incest and Rape Recovery Center Phone: 212-598-4218
Supports, vitalizes, organizes, and advocates for survivors
of sexual abuse who seek healing in community. Offers workshops and
low-fee drop-in groups. Certified in the Rubenfeld Synergy Method®.
Murray David Schane, MD Phone: 212-864-0951 350 Central Park West, New York, NY 10025 Psychiatrist experienced working with male survivors of sexual abuse/assault.
Cheryl Seaman, MD Phone: 917-687-8901
Psychiatrist. Experienced working with PTSD
and dissociation.
Shielagh Shusta-Hochberg, PhD Phone: 212-777-0775
Experienced working with PTSD and dissociation.
Bronx Brad Foote, MD Phone: 718-231-6964 Psychiatrist. Specializes in dissociation and
PTSD. Experienced working with orthodox survivors.
Brooklyn CAMBA : Rape Crisis Services 885 Flatbush Avenue, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11226
Phone: 718- 282-5575 Hotline: 800-310-2449 All services are free and confidential. Legal and
medical advocacy. Assistance with filing compensation claims with the
Crime Victims Board. Crisis counseling through 24-hour hotline. Individual
and group counseling. Information and referrals.
Gavriel Fagin, MSW, LCSW Phone: 917-257-8626 441 Foster Avenue, Brooklyn NY Fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish. Experienced working with both male and female survivors,
orthodox survivors
Dov Finkelstien, MSW
Phone: 718-787-1100
Sephardic Bikur Cholim, 425 Kings Highway, Brooklyn, NY 11223 Experienced working with both male and female survivors,
orthodox survivors
Moshe Preiser, PhD
Phone:
Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY Experienced working with both male and female survivors,
orthodox survivors
Barbara Walters, MPS, MSW, LCSW 917-202-6015 10 Plaza St., Brookyn, Y 11238 Experienced with survivors of child abuse of both genders and of al sexual orientations.
Hewlett Michael J. Salamon, PhD Phone: 516-596-0073 Fax: 516-599-5698
Adult
Developmental Center (ADC), 1728 Broadway, Hewlett, NY, 11557 Works with Adults, Adolescents and Children. Experienced
with male survivors, the Orthodox community, Holocaust survivors, sex offenders
(both adults and children), sexually reactive children, eating disorders,
self mutilation, chemical dependency, sex addictions, bereavement issues,
PTSD, Dissociative Disorders, Sexual Identity Issues, biofeedback, and
psychological testing. Also offers group therapy for survivors (both male
and female survivors). Fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish.
Monsey Ruth Levi, MSW, LCSW Phone:
Experienced working with female survivors, orthodox
survivors.
Staten Island (Near Brooklyn) Ed Crowley, CSW Work: 718-227-0758 3974 Amboy Road, Staten Island, NY 10308 Works with adolescents and young men with history of childhood trauma. Experienced with addiction and with survivors who are gay.
Troy Stephanie Stolar. LMHC Phone: 518-271-3705 Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program 2215 Burdett Ave., Troy, NY 12180 All services are free and confidential. No insurance neeed. 24 hour hotline: 518-271-3257
Ohio
Cleveland Kirsti Mouncey, LISW-S, LCDCIII Phone: 216-619-6194 Cleveland Rape Crisis Center The Leader Building, 526 Superior Ave, Ste. 1400, Cleveland, OH 441121 Experienced working with survivors of sexual trauma and with chemical dependency issues. Fluent in English and German.
Columbus Howard Fradkin, PhD, LICDC Phone: 614-445-8277 A Center for Psychotherapy and Growth 918
S. Front Street, Columbus, OH 43206 Specializes in working with male
survivors of sexual abuse/assault, and experienced working with chemical
dependency issues.
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Jill Maier, MA, LPC Phone: 215-749-2433 Still Waters - Holistic Health Therapies 2305 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19130 Specializes in working with trauma survivors in a holistic manner.
Virginia
Falls Church
Joan Turkus, PhD.
200 Little Falls St., Falls Church, VA 22046
Phone: 703-532-4200 Experienced with PTSD and Dissociative Disorders
Wisconsin
Marquette
Frances Waters, MFT, LCSW, MSW
906-226-2777
Experienced working with children who have PTSD and
or Dissociative Disorders.
CANADA
British
Columbia * Victoria Sandra Wieland, PhD 250-380-9924 Experienced working with children and adolescents
with PTSD and or dissociative disorders.
* Ontario Toronto Nancy N. Mayer, MSW, RSW 416-997-4544 1849 Yonge Street, Suite 605 Toronto, ON, M4S 1Y2
Religious Men's Hotline Phone: 02 5328000, evenings. At other times leave message. Referrals available
for male survivors of sexual violence
Trauma and Dissociation - Israel (TDIL) is a component
group of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
(ISSTD) and is affiliated with the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation
(ESTD).TDIL serves as the professional home for Israeli mental health
professionals, physicians, social workers, and counselors who are interested
in trauma and dissociation. Hebrew website
DN Emek Bet
Shean Frances R. Yoeli, MFT, LCSW +972-50-529-9982
Experienced working with adults with PTSD and
Dissociation
Haifa Eli Somer, Phd and Liora Somer
+972-4-838-1999 Experienced working with adults with PTSD and
Dissociation. Founder of the Trauma-Dissociation-Israel component group
of the ISSTD
The Israel Center for the
Treatment of Psychotrauma was founded by professionals in the field of
traumatic stress to promote the development of services for trauma survivors
and to advance the treatment of trauma survivors throughout Israel. Furthermore,
the Center aims to function as a national and international resource center
for both mental health professionals and the average Israeli in need of
information.
Experienced working with orthodox survivors
Ramat Gan David Ribner, PhD Bar-Ilan Univeristy 972-3-531-8183
School of Social Work, Ramat Gan 52900,
Israel Experienced working with orthodox survivors.
Tel Aviv Bonnie Simone, MSW +972-3-605-1775
Experienced working with PTSD and dissociation.
Experienced with orthodox survivors
Convicted sex offender, who worked at Ohel Family Services.____________________________________________________________________________________ Disclaimer:
Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or
endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources
meet their own personal needs.
Table of Contents:
2010
1st case pending against Andrew Goodman2nd case pending against Andrew Goodman (07/26/2010)
Former Ohel Employee's Bond Set At $1 Million (11/15/2010)
Orthodox Sexual Abuse Scandal: 117 kid victims and 85 arrests in Jewish enclave (12/11/2011)
Haredi sex abuse scandal revealed in NY(12/13/2011)
2011
Brooklyn D.A. Investigation Leads to 85 Sexual Predators Arrested in Orthodox Jewish Community(12/11/2011)
Brooklyn Man Accused of Sexually Abusing Orthodox Boys In 144-Count Indictment(12/12/2011)
Child sex abuse scandal rocks Orthodox Jewish community after 85 arrested (12/12/2011)
Orthodox Child Sex Abuse Details Revealed: Report(12/11/2011)
2012
B'klyn perv in Orthodox sex abuse case takes judge's sweetheart deal(06/22/2012)
Confessed pervert tells stunned Brooklyn courtroom he loves his victim (07/12/2012)
B'klyn perv only gets 2 years behind bars after molesting boy for years(07/12/2012)
How Did Brooklyn Perv Andrew Goodman Get Off With A 2-Year Prison Sentence? Seriously...How?(07/13/2012)
Community outraged: Brooklyn pedophile who 'loves' his victim gets only 2 years(07/13/2012)
Light sentence for convicted molester is a perversion of justice (07/14/2012)
Brooklyn D.A. Mum On Slap-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal For Convicted Pervert Andrew Goodman(07/17/2012)
FBI Press Release(07/25/2012)
Andrew Goodman, Perv Who Got Smooch-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal, Could Be Federally F**ked(07/25/2012)
Convicted molester may face life (07/25/2012)
B'klyn perv could be locked up for life(07/25/2012)
Finally a hero to protect the kids(07/26/2012)
Pedophile victim faces abuser in court a second time, after state judge gave monster only two-year sentence (10/10/2012)
Brave teenager comes face to face with abuser in court after judge gave moleser two-yar sentence (10/11/2012)
**TOP CHARGE** D Felony, 23 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge
Indictment Count: 117 Date Added: 07/26/2010
PL 130.55 00 B Misdemeanor, 26 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge
Description: Sexual Abuse 3rd Indictment Count: 125 Date Added: 07/26/2010 PL 130.55 00 B Misdemeanor, 26 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge
Description: Sexual Abuse 3rd Indictment Count: 131 Date Added: 07/26/2010 PL 130.55 00 B Misdemeanor, 26 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge Description: Sexual Abuse 3rd
Indictment Count: 133 Date Added: 07/26/2010 PL 130.55 00 B Misdemeanor, 26 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge
Description: Sexual Abuse 3rd Indictment Count: 137
Date Added: 07/26/2010 PL 260.10 01 A Misdemeanor, 7 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge Description: Act Manr Injur Child < 17
Indictment Count: 139 Date Added: 07/26/2010 PL 260.10 01 A Misdemeanor, 7 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge Description: Act Manr Injur Child < 17 Indictment Count: 142 Date Added: 07/26/2010 PL 260.10 01 A Misdemeanor, 7 counts, Not an arrest charge, Not an arraignment charge Description: Act Manr Injur Child < 17 Indictment Count: 144 Date Added: 07/26/2010____________________________________________________________________________________
Former Ohel Employee's Bond Set At $1 Million By Shmyra Rosenberg Failed Messiah - September 15, 2010 Goodman's bond was set this morning at $1,000,000.
I'm told Ohel fired Goodman when he was arrested.
Mark Meyer Appel brought people to the court this morning to support Goodman's alleged victims.
This is, I'm told, a picture of Andrew Goodman –– Shmyra Rosenberg
Orthodox Sexual Abuse Scandal: 117 kid victims and 85 arrests in Jewish enclave
By Susan Edelman New York Post - December 11, 2011
He looks like a movie star, but many members of Brooklyn’s Jewish community believe he is a monster.
Andrew
Goodman, 27, who worked for Jewish social-service agencies, is charged
with sexually abusing two Orthodox boys for years in Flatbush — one from
age 11 to 15, the other from age 13 to 16.
Goodman filmed sex
acts with the youngsters on a Web cam, according to the 144-count
indictment, which alleges numerous violations since 2006. He has pleaded
not guilty.
The handsome Goodman, who held parties in his home
with liquor and child porn, also “threatened the life” of a boy who
reported him to authorities, court papers and sources say.
SNARED:Andrew Goodman (above), one of 85 sex-abuse
suspects arrested over the last three years by Project Kol Tzedek, has
been accused of preying on the boys of Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish
community and — even after his arrest on sex-assault charges — was
caught on video ushering teens into his Flatbush home (below). He is
being held on Rikers Island in lieu of a $1 million cash bail.
He’s one of an astounding 85 accused Orthodox child molesters that
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes’ office says it has busted in
the past three years in an initiative called Kol Tzedek, Hebrew for
“voice of justice.”
The cases involve 117 victims — a number that has the community reeling from the extent of the horrors of pedophilia.
Launched amid complaints that Hynes was soft on Orthodox child
predators, Kol Tzedek aims to coax victims to come forward, despite
strong pressure in the insular religious community to cover up such
crimes.
All but two of the suspects are men, and more than half
the victims are male, said Assistant DA Rhonnie Jaus, chief of the sex
abuse and crimes against children division.
Of the 38 cases closed
so far, 14 perps got jail time, ranging from a month to 10-to-20 years
for crimes that included sex abuse, attempted kidnapping, and sodomy,
Jaus said.
The other 24 have walked free. They got probation,
pleaded to minor charges, or saw their cases dismissed — often because
victims or their parents backed out under community pressure.
Agudath
Israel of America, a prominent body of Torah sages, requires anyone
alleging sex abuse by a fellow observant Jew to first report to its
rabbis, who decide whether the case should go to secular authorities.
Goodman’s
case, which Hynes’ office hasn’t publicized, shows how the community’s
response has started to change. Rather than keeping it among the
Orthodox, some alleged victims turned to sympathetic religious leaders
and outside authorities to help lock up a menace.
“Andrew Goodman
is known in our community as a lifelong molester who preys on young boys
and ruins their lives,” a Talmudic scholar at Congregation Bais Torah
wrote to Brooklyn Judge Martin Murphy, who is hearing the case.
Neighbors were shocked when Goodman, freed on $10,000 bail after his
arrest in July 2010, still had boys sneaking into his 15th Street home,
where he lives with his parents and sister, in the middle of the night.
Community
members made a chilling surveillance videotape that officials said
shows teens, ages 15 or 16, entering and leaving the house between 3
a.m. and 5:30 a.m.
Goodman is seen opening his front door for the boys — four on one August night and three on another.
In
one image, two men, including an officer of Shomrim, a volunteer
patrol, apparently argue with Goodman at the front steps. Goodman goes
inside and ushers a boy out of his house.
SNARED: Andrew Goodman (to the left), one of 85 sex-abuse
suspects arrested over the last three years by Project Kol Tzedek, has
been accused of preying on the boys of Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish
community and — even after his arrest on sex-assault charges — was
caught on video ushering teens into his Flatbush home (below). He is
being held on Rikers Island in lieu of a $1 million cash bail.
When told of the tape at Goodman’s September 2010 arraignment, Judge
Patricia DiMango raised Goodman’s bail to an unusually steep $1 million,
cash only. He remains at Rikers Island pending a Dec. 21 hearing.
Evidence
seized in Goodman’s room included lubricants, empty liquor bottles,
boys’ clothing with DNA samples, and a butcher knife.
Goodman’s
lawyer, Izzy Fried, indicated his client would fight the charges,
telling DiMango, “These were not forceful — no one was held against
their will.”
The judge countered that “anyone with a child” would
agree that an 11-year-old “is not capable of making these types of
decisions.”
Fried told The Post the alleged victims are “troubled
kids who did not have a good home life.” One boy ran away, and Goodman
“gave him a safe haven,” the lawyer said.
He called the accusation that Goodman threatened the boy “baloney.”
Goodman, he confirmed, once turned to his young accuser in court and mouthed, “I love you.”
In
court papers obtained by The Post, the boy’s pediatrician said the
sustained sexual and emotional trauma had “robbed him of his youth.”
The
child suffers symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and
depression. Once “vibrant and energetic,” the doctor said, “that boy is
no more.” The abuse “destroyed him.”
Goodman was adopted and grew
up in a traditional Jewish family. His parents went to synagogue and had
Friday-night Sabbath meals, sources said. Goodman attended yeshivas
through high school and went to yeshivas in Israel, the last time in
2005.
He used to wear a yarmulke, a source said, but in recent years “stopped being religious.”
Rabbi
Shea Hecht, of the Hasidic Lubavitch group, said one of Goodman’s
alleged victims came to him and bared his anguish. Hecht, who helps
Hynes’ office with community relations, urged the boy to go to cops.
“You know I’m going to end up dead,” Hecht said the terrified teen told him.
Hecht, on a Jewish radio show, accused Goodman of “hunting” for prey.
Goodman
went to yeshiva playgrounds, once offering a reward for any boy who
found his “lost glasses,” Hecht said. Goodman also pressured boys to
recruit others, the rabbi said.
He allegedly took one boy to
Atlantic City for a weekend, a source said. He allegedly plied boys with
liquor and pills and showed porn on his laptop.
Hecht said he contacted the parents of several boys in the surveillance video, but they refused to cooperate.
Goodman,
a paralegal in a law office, worked weekends for OHEL, a prominent
nonprofit that serves at-risk kids and disabled adults.
OHEL is one of several agencies affiliated with Hynes’ Kol Tzedek program.
For
11 months, starting in June 2009, he took a minimum-wage job as a
caregiver in a group home for physically and mentally disabled adults,
18 and up. His tasks included helping residents go to the bathroom,
change clothes and shower, officials said.
OHEL fired Goodman days
after his arrest, said spokesman Andrew Moesel. It hired a psychologist
to interview residents and “determined that no OHEL client had in any
way been harmed.”
Goodman also worked in a group home for disabled adults run by the Women's League Community Residences, another Jewish charity.
Hynes spokesman Jerry Schmetterer said Goodman is not charged with abuse at the nonprofits.
Brooklyn
District Attorney Charles Hynes’ Project Kol Tzedek, Hebrew for “voice
of justice,” aims to coax ultra-Orthodox Jews to report childhood sexual
abuse despite community pressure to stay silent. After three years, the
DA reports these results:
85 accused predators arrested since January 2009, two female
117 victims: 89 under age 17, the rest up to age 23, when the statute of limitations expires
47 cases pending; 38 closed
14 offenders sentenced to jail, from a month to 10-to-20 years
24 free—on probation, after pleading to lesser charges or after caseswere dismissed
Haredi sex abuse scandal revealed in NY By Lilit Wagner YNet News - December 13, 2011
It happened for a very
long time: Eighty-five men from Brooklyn's ultra-Orthodox community are
suspected of sexually abusing more than 100 of the community's children
and teenagers.
Many, including the victims' parents, allegedly knew about it but
chose to keep silent – until one of the community organizations decided
to reveal the horrible secret and went to the police. The affair was
reported by the New York Post on Sunday. The New York police are still
unsure when the abuse began, but it clearly stretched over several
years. Several years of suffering, trauma and perhaps the worst thing of
all – a conspiracy of silence aimed at preventing humiliation and
shame, all at the expense of the helpless children.
An initiative called Kol Tzedek (“voice of justice") decided to
expose the dreadful acts, and as the months went by more and more men
were arrested. The organization members located children who fell victim
to the abuse and convinced them to complain.
The case involves 117 victims – 89 of whom are under the age of 17.
The number of arrests is expected to increase as the affair unfolds.
So far, 38 indictments have been filed and 14 of the detainees have
already been sent to jail for up to 20 years for rape, sodomy and
kidnapping. Another 24 suspects have been released on bail, and the rest
are still being questioned.
According to the investigation, in some of the cases parents knew
their children were being molested but gave in to community pressure and
chose to remain silent.
'Victims were troubled kids'
One of the suspects is Andrew Goodman, 27, who worked for Jewish
social-service agencies and looks like a movie star. According to the
New York Post, many members of Brooklyn’s Jewish community believe he is
a monster.
Goodman was already arrested in 2010, but was released on bail. The
price of his freedom appears to have been heavy: Since returning home,
he hosted dozens of children and allegedly abused them during parties
with liquor and child porn. Some of the kids were photographed by
neighbors entering and leaving the apartment.
So far, authorities have charged him with sexually abusing two
Orthodox boys for years in Flatbush — one from age 11 to 15, the other
from age 13 to 16.
According to the 144-count indictment, which alleges numerous
violations since 2006, Goodman filmed sex acts with the youngsters on a
Web cam. Court papers and source say he also “threatened the life” of a
boy who reported him to authorities.
“Andrew Goodman is known in our community as a lifelong molester who
preys on young boys and ruins their lives,” a Talmudic scholar at
Congregation Bais Torah wrote to Brooklyn Judge Martin Murphy, who is
hearing the case, the New York Post reported.
Rabbi Shea Hecht, of the Hasidic Lubavitch group, accused Goodman on a Jewish radio show of "hunting" for prey.
He said Goodman went to yeshiva playgrounds, once offering a reward
for any boy who found his “lost glasses". Goodman also pressured boys to
recruit others, the rabbi said. Goodman
is currently in detention and has pleaded not guilty. “These were not
forceful —no one was held against their will," he lawyer said, adding
that the alleged victims were “troubled kids who did not have a good
home life.” He claimed that one had boy ran away and Goodman “gave him a
safe haven."
According to the newspaper, Goodman studied in a yeshiva in Israel
several years ago and "stopped being religious" in recent years. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Brooklyn D.A. Investigation Leads to 85 Sexual Predators Arrested in Orthodox Jewish Community By Andre Tartar New York Magazine - December 11, 2011
Earlier this summer, the Hasidic community in Borough Park was ripped
asunder by one of the most gruesome murders imaginable — a young Jewish
boy smothered and disemboweled. The murderer may have been a troubled
outcast, as Matthew Shaer describes in last week's New York,
but he was still one of their own — a chilling reality check. Now, the
Brooklyn District Attorney's office has revealed the results of a
three-year investigation into sexual abuse in the borough's Orthodox
Jewish community that is downright seismic: 85 sexual predators arrested
and 117 victims identified, according to the Post.
Front and center in the investigation, it seems, is one Andrew
Goodman, a 27-year-old adopted as a child into an Orthodox Jewish
family, who had spent the past several years working with nonprofits for
at-risk youths and mentally disabled adults, where his responsibilities
included helping residents go to the bathroom and shower. He faces a
144-count indictment stemming from two victims in Flatbush — next door
to Borough Park — who claim to have been sexually abused by Goodman
during their early teens. But the number of his victims is likely much
higher. After being released on bail in summer of 2010, following his
arrest, the community was witness, either via videotape or visit from
the Shromrim patrol, to three separate occasions when Goodman had young
boys in his house (where he lives with his mother and sister): four the
first time, three the second, and one the third.
So far, about 38 cases in the Brooklyn D.A.'s Project Kol Tzedek — which the Post translates as Hebrew for "voice of justice" (find a tip sheet with helpline information here) — have been closed, with just under two thirds resulting in the perps walking free. Many pleaded to lesser changes, with the Post claiming
that some got off mostly scot-free because "victims or their parents
backed out under community pressure." Of the fourteen or so who were
handed jail sentences, the longest sentence may be up to twenty years.
While difficult days of introspection are surely ahead for Brooklyn's
insular Orthodox enclaves, growing awareness of such crimes and rabbis'
willingness to seek out secular help are essential for the community to
protect its most vulnerable even while preserving its oldest and most
cherished traditions.
Brooklyn Man Accused Of Sexually Abusing Orthodox Boys In 144-Count Indictment
CBS NEWS-NY - December 12, 2011
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A surprising number of child sex abuse cases are surfacing in the Orthodox Jewish community.
The latest one, uncovered by the Brooklyn District Attorney, accuses a man of preying on young boys.
It’s one of the latest cases to rock the Orthodox community. Andrew Goodman, a 27-year-old from Midwood, is charged with with 144 counts of sexual abuse of two boys.
It’s charged that since 2006, Goodman, who worked for Jewish social
service agencies, sexually abused one boy aged 11 to 15, and another,
age 13 to 16, while recording the activity on a webcam.
“I spoke to the two boys. They are 100 percent credible,” said Rabbi
Shea Hecht with the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish
Education.
Hecht said one of the two alleged victims is especially credible.
“He remembered everything — dates, times,” Hecht told CBS 2′s John Slattery.
Goodman lives on East 15th Street, where community members say they
shot a video of teens, entering and leaving his home during early hours.
“To say that these kids spent an exorbitant amount of time with him
does not in and of itself mean that crimes were committed,” Goodman’s
attorney, Israel Fried, said.
Fried said the only evidence he knows of is the word of the kids.
“There are inconsistencies — meaning that it’s not a slam dunk,” he said.
The DA’s office said in the last three years 85 accused Orthodox
child molesters have been charged involving 117 victims — 38 cases have
been resolved with 14 convictions.
“When that person is arrested for doing it to one victim or to two
victims, I guarantee there are 10, 20, 30 victims somewhere out there in
the community,” Assemblyman Dov Hikind said. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Child sex abuse scandal rocks Orthodox Jewish community after 85 arrested Daily Mail - December 12, 2012
117 alleged victims spoke out from tight-knit religious society
An Orthodox Jewish community has had to face up to claims of child sex abuse after 83 men and two women were arrested. An
initiative was set up to encourage victims to come forward despite
pressure from the close-knit religious society to hush up the crimes.
Some 117 male and female victims have approached authorities in Brooklyn, New York since 2006. There were 89 accusers under the age of 17. According to the New York Post, one
suspect Andrew Goodman, 27, worked with Jewish charities involving
vulnerable young people and the disabled.
He was charged with sexually abusing two Orthodox boys at his home in the Flatbush neighbourhood last September. One child was abused between the ages of 11 and 15, the other from 13 until he was 16 years old.
Goodman reportedly filmed sex acts
with the boys on a webcam after plying them with alcohol in his bedroom
and making them watch child porn. Neighbours had filmed Goodman sneaking the children into the home he shared with his parents and
sister between 3am and 5.30am. In the surveillance tape, Goodman was seen opening his front door for the boys, according to the Post. Lubricants, empty liquor bottles, boys’ clothing and a butcher knife were discovered in the 27-year-old's room. Goodman’s lawyer Izzy Fried told the New
York Post that the alleged victims were 'troubled kids' and his client had
provided them with a 'safe haven'.
He also threatened the life of one boy who reported him to authorities, it has been claimed. Goodman has pleaded not guilty.
He is being held at Rikers Island Prison until his next hearing on December 21.
After being shown the footage in court last September, Judge Patricia DiMango set the suspected paedophile's bail at $1million. Brooklyn
District Attorney's office had been accused of being soft on child
abusers which lead to steps being put in place to make it easier for
suspected victims to come forward. The plan was called Kol Tzedek which translates from Hebrew as 'voice of justice'. DA
Charles Hynes instigated the outreach programme which offers a
confidential hotline and access to 'culturally sensitive' social workers
from the sex crimes bureau. Assistant
DA Rhonnie Jaus, head of the child sex abuse division, said 38
individuals had been prosecuted so far with 14 abusers jailed. Sentences varied from one month to 20 years for crimes including sex abuse, attempted kidnapping and sodomy.
However
24 alleged paedophiles were not jailed. In some instances, the case
against them collapsed when victims and their families backed out of
giving evidence in court following pressure from the religious
community, according to the assistant DA. Authorities have another 47 cases pending. The
Orthodox Jewish organisation Agudath Israel of America, which has its
headquarters in Manhattan, rules that anyone who claims to have been
sexually abused by another Jew must consult rabbis first.
Only then is the decision made whether to go to secular authorities.
Goodman
worked for OHEL Children's Home and Family Services which provides care
for vulnerable children and disabled adults. The non-profit group aims
to help victims who have suffered domestic, sexual or emotional abuse. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Orthodox Child Sex Abuse Details Revealed: Report
Forward - June 12, 2012
Brooklyn prosecutors say authorities have arrested 85 people in the Orthodox Jewish community
on child sex abuse charges in the past three years, the New York Post
reported Sunday, confirming earlier reports in the Forward.
Prosecutors in the office of Brooklyn District Attorney
Charles Hynes told the Post that 38 of the sex cases had been closed so
far, with 14 convictions. The suspects got jail time ranging from a
month to up to 20 years for crimes that included sex abuse, attempted
kidnapping, and sodomy, the paper said.
Twenty-four suspects were freed after the cases against them fell apart, the report said. The rest of the cases are still pending under a
controversial program called Kol Tzedek, or Voice of Justice, which
aims to coax victims in the insular community to come forward about
abuse.
The paper cited Assistant D.A. Rhonnie Jaus, chief of the sex crimes
bureau. The Forward requested an interview with Jaus several weeks ago.
That request was declined.
Hynes’s office did not immediately respond for a request for comment Sunday.
Among those accused is Andrew Goodman, 27, who worked
for Ohel and other Jewish social-service agencies. The Post says he is
charged with sexually abusing two Orthodox boys for years in Flatbush,
and filming sex acts dating back to 2006, according to the 144-count
indictment, which alleges numerous violations since 2006.
Goodman has pleaded not guilty.
The Forward first broke the news weeks ago that nearly 90 Orthodox men had been arrested
on child abuse charges. At that time, prosecutors refused to furnish
any additional information about the cases, but suggested they would do
so by the end of November.
Among the cases reported by the Forward was that of Boro Park Rabbi Baruch Lebovits, who was sentenced last year to up to 32 years in prison after being convicted of sex abuse.
Victims’ rights advocates hailed it as a turning point
in the battle against sexual abuse in the insular Orthodox community.
But Lebovits is now free on bail and his conviction is now unraveling
amid allegations of perjury, conspiracy and extortion.
Just last week, Hynes’ spokesman Jerry Schmetterer refused to return calls from the Forward asking for more information about the cases.
____________________________________________________________________________________ B'klyn perv in Orthodox sex abuse case takes judge's sweetheart deal By Jose Martinez New York Post - June 22, 2012
A pervert who sexually abused two Orthodox Jewish brothers accepted a
judge's sweetheart deal today that will spring him from jail in
September - over the furious objections of Brooklyn prosecutors.
Andrew
Goodman pleaded guilty to 48 felonies - including criminal sex acts
with a minor, sex abuse and sexual misconduct - after Justice Martin
Murphy dangled a 2-year sentence in front of him.
Assistant
District Attorney Kevin O'Donnell said prosecutors would have pursued a
penalty that could have locked up Goodman for "dozens, if not hundreds
of years."
"The people are of the opinion that this is a very lenient offer to
the defendant and one that's going to put him in a position to act on
his fantasies and abuse more children when he gets out of jail,"
O'Donnell said.
"All right," Murphy said.
Goodman, who was arrested in June 2010 for preying on the boys over several years, was thrilled with the offer.
"It's
an amazing deal," said Israel Fried, a defense lawyer for Goodman.
"He's very happy to put this behind him, do his time and hopefully get
on with his life. "He was never looking to not take responsibility."
Community
members had filmed Goodman sneaking 11 underage boys in and out of his
15th Street home during pre-dawn hours, and trashed him as a "lifelong
molestor who preys on young boys" in letters written to the judge.
Fried
said prosecutors "weren't going to offer anything," charging they
weren't going to go easy on Goodman because of the heavy criticism
District Attorney Charles Hynes has taken for his handling of sex-abuse
cases in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community.
"These are the
crimes de jour, so to speak and they're the ones that have put the
District Attorney under the microscope," Fried said. "That's why they've
taken such a hard line."
But Hynes fired back that prosecutors should "have the right to appeal a disposition taken over their objections."
"Here,
an acting State Supreme Court Justice promised a sentence of two years
to someone who pled guilty to 48 felonies," he said in a statement.
Goodman is the adopted son of a Jewish family and attended yeshivas in Israel through 2005.
He previously studied at a community college and did volunteer work with developmentally disabled adults. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Confessed pervert tells stunned Brooklyn courtroom he loves his victim
Andrew Goodman gets just 2 years behind bars
By Oren Yaniv
New York Daily News - July 12, 2012
An admitted child molester stared at his teenage victim and professed
his unending love for him Thursday in front of a shocked Brooklyn
courtroom — but still got only two years behind bars.
The sickening display by Andrew Goodman, 27, came after one of his two
victims begged Supreme Court Justice Martin Murphy not to go so easy on
the serial pedophile, who'll be back on the streets in two months after
time served. Prosecutors also strongly objected to the plea agreement.
“Letting this man go is a very grave mistake," the boy, now 17, said as
his body trembled. “I have no doubt he'll try to do the same thing to
other children once he gets out."
Goodman admitted to sexually abusing the youth and his brother for four years, starting when they were 12 and 13.
The victim described how his handsome neighbor earned his trust by
buying him gifts, taking him to restaurants and alienating him from his
parents before pressuring him into having sex.
"You are the worst thing that ever happened to me," he told the defendant. "You are the devil disguised as a human."
When it was Goodman's turn to speak, he turned to the traumatized
victim and told him "I love you" as the packed courtroom gasped and
grunted in disbelief.
"I did and still do to this day love (you)," the predator added. "I
fell in love with you and I wish I never allowed my sexual desires to
get in the way of what I valued more, which is your friendship."
None of that — or pleas by the boys' mother and prosecutor Elizabeth
Doerfler, who called the sentence "woefully low" — swayed the judge.
“You caused a lot of pain to all the complainants," Judge Murphy told
Goodman. "The statements that you made today are ill-advised to say the
least."
But without giving an explanation, he meted out the minimum allowable
sentence that was agreed to after the former social worker pleaded to
the entire 48-count indictment.
Prosecutors were seeking seven years in prison on each count, which would have added up to a de facto life sentence.
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said the sentence "defies logic and is frankly inexplicable."
Goodman will likely also have to register as a sex offender for life.
When he made bail after his 2010 arrest, concerned community members
surreptitiously filmed numerous other boys leaving his Flatbush home in
the early morning hours.
No additional cases emerged, but, after hearing about the surveillance,
a different judge locked Goodman up in lieu of $1 million bail, meaning
he's already served almost his entire sentence.
The boy described in court “four long and torturous years" in which
Goodman groomed him then made him feel "bad and unappreciative" if he
didn't succumb to the sexual come-ons.
As a result of the abuse, the teen said, he quit school, has no friends and is struggling to cope in social situations.
"This is a very dangerous man," he told the judge. "Not only because of
the crimes he committed, but also because he has no remorse."
The victims' mother and other advocates warned that the lenient penalty
will discourage others from going through the hardship of filing
complaints. Brooklyn prosecutors have railed against intimidation some
accusers face when bringing abuse allegations in the Jewish community. ____________________________________________________________________________________
B'klyn perv only gets 2 years behind bars after molesting boy for years By Jose Martinez New York Post - July 12, 2012
That's just twisted.
Pedophile Andrew Goodman today proudly
declared his undying love for the boy he molested for years, as a
Brooklyn judge stuck to a sweetheart deal to lock him up for a mere two
years.
Standing just feet from his shaking 17-year-old victim,
Goodman called the boy "my best friend in the whole world" and insisted
"there was no malice involved" even after the boy pleaded with Justice
Martin Murphy to undo the deal he gave to "the devil disguised as a
human."
"Every second of every day, all that I think about is [you]," the creep said, calling the teen by his first name.
Andrew Goodman
"I love you," he said softly when he turned to the boy, drawing gasps in a packed courtroom.
Goodman,
27, last month accepted the two-year deal from Murphy upon pleading
guilty to 48 felonies - or as the victim said, "even more than Jerry
Sandusky."
Locked up since June 2010 on charges that he preyed
sexually upon the victim and his brother, Goodman could be freed by
September.
"I have no doubt he will try to do the same thing to other other children once he gets out," the victim said.
The
teen, who dropped out of school after what he called "a torturous four
years" of sex abuse from Goodman, then called for a much stiffer
sentence for his tormentor.
"The best thing for you and society is if you're locked in a cage away from society - especially children," he said.
"Please, use your position to protect our children," the teen's mom asked the judge.
The
red-faced Murphy wasn’t swayed from the two-year sentence -- which he
admitted was the minimum Goodman faced -- nor did he offer much insight
into it.
"Mr. Goodman, you caused a lot of pain to all the
complainants," he said. "Your statement that you made today was
ill-advised, to say the least."
Prosecutors had been seeking
seven-year sentences for each of the 48 felonies - a punishment that
could have landed Goodman a sentence of more than 200 years.
"The
defendant cultivated the relationships to violate and sexually abuse
these boys," said prosecutor Elizabeth Doerfler. "The abuse was not an
isolated incident, but stretched over several years."
The victim
said Goodman began grooming him seven years ago to be a sex-abuse target
by showering him with gifts that included Rollerblades, a Playstation
and restaurant meals. "He began telling me he loved me," the teen said. "He slowly built up my trust and then began to alienate me from my family.
"Eventually, I began to trust him more than my own parents."
His hands shaking and his words dripping with disgust, the teen then tore into Goodman.
"Andrew Goodman, you are the devil disguised as a human," he said. "I trusted you with my life and you betrayed that trust."
The pervert turned him against his family, the victim said, and against his Orthodox Jewish faith.
"You
are the worst thing that ever happened to me," he said. "A person that
really loves me wouldn't take advantage of an innocent young child."
Community
members had filmed Goodman, the adopted son of a Jewish family,
sneaking 11 underage boys in and out of his 15th Street home during
pre-dawn hours.
"Andrew Goodman is a predator who is really good at what he does," said the mother of his two victims. ____________________________________________________________________________________
How Did Brooklyn Perv Andrew Goodman Get Off With A 2-Year Prison Sentence? Seriously...How? By James King The Village Voice - July 13, 2012
A Brooklyn pervert convicted of molesting a pair of brothers for years
proudly declared during his sentencing hearing yesterday his unwavering
love for one of his victims, a 17-year-old boy -- all as the boy sat
just feet away, shaking in fear, before calling his abuser "the devil
disguised as a human."
"Every second of every day, all that I
think about is [you]," convicted creep Andrew Goodman reportedly said of
his victim during his sentencing hearing yesterday.
Judge Martin Murphy shot back, telling Goodman that "Your statement that you made today was ill-advised, to say the least."
Only
not really; Murphy's the same judge who signed off on a sweetheart,
slap-on-the-wrist plea agreement for Goodman that puts the perv away for
a mere two years -- despite the fact that he was charged with 48
pervert-related felonies for abusing the boys for years.
As one
of the victims pointed out during yesterdays hearing, 48 counts is more
than the number of crimes with which Penn State monster Jerry Sandusky
was charged. Unlike Goodman, Sandusky will die in prison.
Goodman's been behind bars since his arrest in 2010, which means he
could potentially be out on the streets -- possibly cuddling up to your
kids -- by September.
So, how the fuck did this happen? Your guess is as good as ours
-- the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office didn't respond to our request
for an explanation.
Other news outlets have let the Brooklyn D.A. off the hook, placing the
blame for the ridiculous deal on the shoulders of Murphy (New York Post,
we're looking in your direction). But plea deals don't exist without
prosecutors (a judge can either accept or reject the deal), which means
the Brooklyn D.A. had to sign off on the shitty deal -- much to the
apparent dismay of the victim, who told the court that "The best thing
for [Goodman] and society is if you're locked in a cage away from
society - especially children."
Oh, and if you think the sentence is appropriate, and Goodman will learn
his lesson in two short years (read: if you're an idiot), Goodman's
neighbors have video footage of him sneaking up to 11 underage boys in
and out of his 15th Street home in "predawn hours."
So, yeah -- this guy's gonna be a free man in a few months, and you can
thank the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and Judge Martin Murphy. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Community outraged: Brooklyn pedophile who 'loves' his victim gets only 2 years By Raishad M. Hardnett Metro - July 13, 2012
It's an unusual legal strategy, to say the least: 27-year-old Andrew
Goodman, after admitting to molesting two teenaged Orthodox siblings,
finished his courtroom statement by professing his undying love for one
of them. But for whatever reason, even after blurting out, "I did and
still do to this day love [you]," the consequences were unusually light
for Goodman.
In a result that Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hyne says "defies
logic and is frankly inexplicable," the judge sentenced the child
offender to only two years in prison.
Andrew Goodman was charged with molesting the two brothers for four
years, beginning when one was 11 years old and the other was 13. He
plead guilty to a 48-count indictment – which is "even more [counts]
than Jerry Sandusky" was found guilty of, a victim pointed out.
The case has stirred the discontentment of the Jewish community in
Brooklyn, members of which banded together to collect evidence against
Goodman.
In 2010 when Goodman paid a $1 million bail bond to return to his home
in New York, community members gathered and allegedly recorded a video
of numerous boys leaving his house in the early hours of the morning.
"Andrew Goodman is known in our community as a lifelong molester who
preys on young boys and ruins their lives," a scholar at Congregation
Bais Torah wrote to Judge Martin Murphy, according to a NY Post article.
The New York Daily News
mentions four "long and torturous years" in which Goodman took
advantage of the defendant by inviting him to restaurants and separating
him from his parents. As a result, the teen said he no longer attends
school and now struggles to hold healthy social relationships.
Goodman was convicted of three more counts of felony than Jerry
Sandusky; however, at a time when Sandusky faces 373 years in prison for
similar charges, several community members are outraged that Goodman,
who has already spent some jail time, could actually be released from
prison as early as September.
That means two months -- which means many pleas and demands for justice have fallen on deaf ears.
____________________________________________________________________________________ Light sentence for convicted molester is a perversion of justice New York Daily News - July 14, 2012
AG Schneiderman should pursue civil commitment to keep Goodman behind bars.
Justice Martin Murphy's two-year sentence for molester Andrew Goodman is an outrage.
There may still be a way to ensure that a Brooklyn judge has not put
the public safety at risk by astonishly throwing wide the jailhouse
doors for a demented sex abuser.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman must intervene to determine
whether convicted molester Andrew Goodman is a candidate for civil
confinement in a mental hospital.
Over objections of enraged prosecutors and a trembling teenage victim,
acting Supreme Court Justice Martin Murphy sentenced Goodman to just two
years — a term that expires in two months because Goodman has been held
since his arrest.
Murphy’s judgment that two years was sufficient punishment was, in a word, criminal.
Goodman, a social worker, admitted subjecting two boys to oral and anal
sex over four years, starting when they were were 12 and 13 years old.
Court papers show there was videotape evidence of 11 underage boys going
in and out of his home.
He pleaded guilty to committing 48 felony counts of criminal sexual
acts under a plea engineered by Murphy, who claimed, according to
judicial sources, that he wanted to spare the victims the trauma of a
trial. Never mind that the victims and families were fully prepared to
proceed.
“Letting this man go is a very grave mistake,” one victim, now 17, told
Murphy. “I have no doubt he’ll try to do the same thing to other
children once he gets out.” Chillingly, Goodman turned to the victim in
court and said, “I love you. I did and still to do this day.”
Murphy’s sentence flies in the face of a New York statute that
authorizes the attorney general to seek the indefinite
institutionalization of a sex offender after he has finished a prison
term if mental health authorities and a judge agree there is good reason
to believe he remains a threat.
Schneiderman and Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes, whose
deputy, Kevin O’Donnell, objected to Murphy’s madness, must join in
getting Goodman a civil-confinement review.
He is due for release under probation supervision in September. There’s no time to lose. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Brooklyn D.A. Mum On Slap-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal For Convicted Pervert Andrew Goodman By James King The Village Voice - July 17, 2012
The question wasn't meant to be rhetorical; we really want
to know how a guy who was initially hit with 48 pervert-related
felonies after admiting to sexually abusing two young boys -- before
brazenly declaring his undying love for one of them at his sentencing
hearing last week -- gets a mere two years behind bars.
Other
media outlets have blamed the judge in the case, Martin Murphy, for the
sweetheart deal that could potentially have Goodman back on the streets
-- and around your kids -- by September. But plea deals -- even those
of the sweetheart variety -- don't exist without the approval of a
prosecutor, who in this case works for the Brooklyn District Attorney's
Office, which has refused to give an explanation as to why Goodman was
let so easily off the hook.
We've contacted the Brooklyn D.A.'s Office twice since Friday, both
times asking for a simple explanation of the deal. We were ignored each
time.
Just to be clear, we're not saying the Brooklyn D.A.'s
Office is necessarily to blame for Goodman's slap on the wrist -- shitty
plea deals happen sometimes, especially when prosecutors don't think
they have enough evidence to get a conviction on a more serious charge.
For example, while working for the Voice's sister publication in Phoenix, Arizona, we wrote an article about a Jehovah's
Witness elder who got sentenced to a scant six months in county jail
after admitting to repeatedly abusing a teenage boy over the span of
several years. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office (after
initially lying to us about the circumstances surrounding the deal)
explained that "time stamps" (events -- in this case the release of the
movie "Porky's" -- that specifically indicate when something happened)
were inconsistent with the victim's story, and it therefor couldn't be
proven that he was 14 years old at the time of the abuse.
Under
Arizona law, the age of the victim plays an enormous role in the
severity of the punishment for their abusers -- and 15 is the age at
which the punishment gets much less severe. Because it couldn't be
proven that the victim was 14 at the time of the abuse, the county
attorney says he was forced to cut the elder a deal -- even though the
perv admitted to the abuse long before a deal was ever presented to him.
We didn't quite buy the county attorney's explanation (given some other facts surrounding the case), but at least one was offered. The same cannot be said about the Brooklyn D.A.
In
Goodman's case, in addition to professing his love for the victim in
open court as recently as last week, his
neighbors have video footage of him sneaking up to 11 underage boys in
and out of his 15th Street home in "predawn hours." In other words --
and if pervert history tells us anything -- this probably won't be the
last time Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes hears the name Andrew Goodman, and
if/when he re-offends, Hynes probably will have much more explaining to
do.
Oh -- just to reiterate -- Goodman could be a free man as soon as September, so hide yo' kids!.
US Attorney's Office - Eastern District of New York
(718) 254-7000
July 25, 2012
Brooklyn Man Charged with Transporting a Minor in Interstate Commerce to Engage in Sexual Activity
Defendant Allegedly Took Victim to Atlantic City
A complaint was unsealed this morning in federal court in
Brooklyn charging Andrew Goodman with transporting a minor in
interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity. Goodman’s initial
appearance is scheduled later today before United States Magistrate
Judge Cheryl L. Pollak, at the U.S. Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East in
Brooklyn, New York.
The charge was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney
for the Eastern District of New York, and Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant
Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field
Office.
As alleged in the complaint, in February 2010, Goodman traveled with
the then 15-year-old victim to Atlantic City, New Jersey. While there,
Goodman sexually abused the victim in a hotel room.
“The prevention of sexual exploitation of children is a priority of
this office,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “Those who would take
advantage of children are on notice that they will be prosecuted to the
full extent of the law.” Ms. Lynch extended her grateful appreciation
to District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and the Kings County District
Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this case.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Fedarcyk stated, “Those who sexually
exploit children will be held to justice for all the crimes they commit
under both federal and local laws. In this case, Mr. Goodman allegedly
transported a minor across state lines with the intent to sexually abuse
a child. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to
protecting children from predators.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Smith.
The charge is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Andrew Goodman, Perv Who Got Smooch-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal, Could Be Federally F**ked By James King The Village Voice - July 25, 2012
Andrew
Goodman received a sweetheart plea deal from the Brooklyn District
Attorney's Office that landed him behind bars for a mere two years for
repeatedly molesting two young boys. Now the feds have stepped in, and
Goodman's looking at an additional sentence of at least 10 years, if
convicted of the new federal charges.
At the sentencing hearing earlier this month for convicted Brooklyn pervert Andrew Goodman,
the pederast was so happy about the wimpy sentence he was set to
receive (thanks to a sweetheart plea deal from the Brooklyn District
Attorney's Office) that he used the court appearance to declare his
undying love for one of the young, male victims of his perverse sexual
appetite.
"Every second of every day, all that I think about is [you]," Goodman told the court, while staring at one of his teen victims.
He
was then sentenced to a scant two-year prison sentence, which would
have potentially had him back on the streets by October because of time
he's already served.
Unfortunately for Goodman (but fortunately
for every child in New York City), the feds have stepped in -- all
because Goodman had the bright idea to take one of his victims to
Atlantic City, making it an interstate commerce issue, which falls under
federal authority, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Voice.
Now,
rather than two short years behind bars, Goodman is looking at a
mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.
Funny how the universe has a tendency to correct itself, ay?
According to the complaint, following Goodman's sentencing on July 12,
one of his victims was interviewed by federal authorities After
explaining to the federal agent that Goodman began molesting him
in 2006 -- when the boy was only 11 -- and continued molesting him until
his arrest in 2011, the victim told the agent about the February 13,
2010, trip to the gambling hot-spot, where he says he also was sexually
abused by Goodman.
Additionally, the boy says, two of Goodman's adult friends also went on the trip.
According to the complaint, the three adults gambled at the Trump Taj
Mahal Casino before getting two rooms in the casino's hotel.
The boy told authorities that the two friends stayed in one room, while he and Goodman stayed in the other.
The room had two beds, and Goodman and the boy initially started out
sleeping separately, the boy told investigators Soon after, however, Goodman weaseled his way into
the boys bed, where he sodomized him and forced him to perform oral sex.
Then the creep allegedly forced the boy to take a shower with him.
The next day, Goodman and the boy had breakfast at a diner before going
to a Kid Rock concert at the Borgata Casino. The next day, Goodman put
the boy on a bus back to Brooklyn.
To verify the boy's story, authorities checked Kid Rock's concert
schedule, and sure enough, he played a show at the Borgata on February
14, 2010.
Goodman is a grade-A creep -- in addition to the abuse for which he's
been convicted, his neighbors have video footage of him sneaking up to
11 underage boys in
and out of his 15th Street home in "predawn hours." Considering he had
no problem expressing his unwavering affection for his young victim, it
seems pretty clear that two short years in jail isn't gonna break him of
his pedophilia habit. Not that 10 years would, either, but at least
he'd only be around other convicted criminals, and not sneaking young
boys into his apartment in the middle of the night.
____________________________________________________________________________________ Convicted molester may face life By John Marzulli New York Daily News - July 25, 2012
Andrew Goodman facing charge of interstate transportation of a minor for the purpose of sexual assault
A convicted child molester who got off with a measly two-year sentence
from a Brooklyn judge was slapped with federal charges Wednesday that
could put him away for the rest of his life.
When Andrew Goodman was sentenced in state Supreme Court last month on
48 counts of sexually abusing two young brothers, the creep professed
his love for one of the victims, who was present in the courtroom.
The shocking statement didn’t faze Justice Martin Murphy who went ahead and gave Goodman a slap on the wrist.
But Goodman now faces a damning complaint charging him with the
interstate transportation of a minor for the purpose of sexual assault.
Goodman, 27, is accused of traveling with the then-15-year-old victim
in February 2010 to Atlantic City where he raped and sodomized the boy
in a hotel room. If convicted, Goodman faces a mandatory minimum of 10
years in prison and a maximum of life.
B'klyn perv could be locked up for life By Jose Martinez New York Post - July 25, 2012
A Brooklyn child molester who was recently given a two-year prison
sentence by a judge in a shocking sweetheart deal was smacked today with
federal charges that could lock him up for life.
Unrepentant perv
Andrew Goodman — who creepily told his trembling teen-age victim “I
love you” at his July 12 sentencing before state Supreme Court Justice
Martin Murphy — was charged by the feds with having sex with the same
boy in a New Jersey hotel room in 2010, then taking him to a Kid Rock
concert in Atlantic City.
If convicted of transporting a minor in
interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity, Goodman will serve a
mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and could face up to a
life sentence.
“It is an incredibly serious charge,” said Assistant US Attorney
Tyler Smith. “The case against the defendant is also incredibly strong.”
Murphy’s
lenient punishment — and Goodman’s outrageous courtroom antics in front
of his victim — drew fierce criticism when the 27-year-old sicko was
sentenced for molesting the 17-year-old boy and his brother over several
years.
“He’s shown himself to be essentially remorseless,” Smith
said, noting how Goodman professed his undying love for his victim at
his sentencing, a gesture which drew gasps of disgust.
Goodman was
arrested in 2010, and could have completed his sentence by September.
Now he’ll be in federal custody, likely in a single cell under a 23-hour
lockdown.
“As he approached the end of his sentence, he was
certainly surprised that they were seeking to prosecute him further,”
said his court-appointed lawyer. Michael Padden. “I don’t think that he
saw this coming.”
But Brooklyn District Attorney, who strongly opposed Murphy’s sentence, applauded the move to nail Goodman on federal charges.
“I am pleased that US Attorney Loretta Lynch made the decision to prosecute Andrew Goodman,” Hynes said.
Pedophile victim faces abuser in court a second time, after state judge gave monster only two-year sentence By John Marzulli New York Daily News - October 10, 2012
Admitted child molester Andrew Goodman faces new federal charges, could get put away for life.
Andrew Goodman, 27, who
worked for Jewish social service agencies, is charged with sexually
abusing two Orthodox boys for years in Flatbush.
The teen victim of a remorseless child molester faced his abuser for a
traumatic second round, determined that the monster be put away for
longer than the paltry two-year sentence handed down by a state judge
over the summer.
If not for the new federal charges, admitted pedophile Andrew Goodman,
28, would be a free man, having completed that sentence with credit for
time-served.
"I want to see that there's justice, and hopefully there will be," the victim, now 17, told The Daily News outside court.
The feds stepped in to charge Goodman in July after he received the
outrageously short sentence from Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Martin
Murphy for abusing the victim and his younger brother for years,
starting when they were 12 and 13. The victims and Brooklyn District
Attorney Charles Hynes had strongly objected to the slap on the wrist.
Adding insult to injury, at Goodman’s sentencing for molesation, he
even turned to the older brother and professed his undying love, adding,
“I wish I never allowed my sexual desires to get in the way of what I
valued more, which is your friendship."
Goodman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the two new charges contained
in the federal indictment — traveling across state lines with the older
brother to Atlantic City, where he raped and sodomized the 15-year-old
boy in a hotel room; and using a telephone to coerce a minor for the
purpose of a sexual assault.
If found guilty, Goodman could be sent away for life.
The victim said he plans to continue attending the federal court proceedings as he did in state court.
"I'm not afraid because he (Goodman) is in jail clothes — if he wasn't, I would be," the victim said.
Defense lawyer Michael Padden declined to comment on the case.
If convicted of that charge, Federal Judge Margo Brodie could consider
all sex crimes committed by Goodman, not just the federal charges
related to the Atlantic City trip with the victim, according to a source
familiar with the case.
Murphy, the state judge, never explained the reason for the light
sentence, ignoring the words of the victim who called Goodman "the devil
disguised as a human."
Brave teenager comes face to face with abuser in court after judge gave moleser two-yar sentence Daily Mail - October 11, 2012
A teenage sex abuse victim mustered
up the courage to face his abuser in court on Wednesday, as the scarred
boy hopes to see justice served despite the lax sentence handed down to
the convicted child molester. Andrew
Goldman, 28, pleaded guilty on
two counts of child molestation in June for abusing two Orthodox Jewish
boys in
Flatbush, Brooklyn. But he was only given a two year jail sentence,
which given his time served would mean he would soon be back out on the
streets. But now a
federal indictment for child sex abuse could mean that the man,
described as a child predator, could stay behind bars for good. Goldman, who worked at a Jewish social service agency, aggressively pursued young boys in the Orthodox community in Brooklyn. Goodman would visit the
playgrounds of yeshivas, Jewish religious schools, to meet boys and also
hosted alcohol fueled parties for the boys, where he would screen child pornography, according to prosecutors.
He was also accused of taping his sexual assault on his victims with a web cam.
As part of an initiative to bring child sex abusers to justice, Kol Tzedek, Hebrew for 'voice of justice,' Goodman was arrested in July
2010 on suspicion of molesting young boys. Shockingly,
he was released on bail and in his days out of prison, he was seen
inviting young boys to the Brooklyn home he shared with his mother and
sister. When
surveillance video showed the boys entering the home in the early
morning hours, he was re-arrested and held on $1 million bail where he
has remained since 2010. In
July 2012, he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually abusing two
brothers, starting when they were 12 and 13, over a period of several
years. 'Andrew Goodman is known in our
community as a lifelong molester who preys on young boys and ruins their
lives,' a Talmudic scholar at Congregation Bais Torah wrote to Brooklyn
Judge Martin Murphy, according to the New York Post.
But there was public
outcry over when Judge Murphy handed down a lenient sentence of only two
years to Goldman. Given his time served, Goldman would be eligible to
walk in September 2012. But a federal indictment now means new charges for Goldman and the chance that he could stay jailed for life. He
has been charged with traveling across state lines with one of his
victims to Atlantic City, where he allegedly raped and sodomized the
15-year-old in a hotel room, in addition to using a telephone to coerce a
minor into sex. Goodman pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday but a conviction could mean he faces life in prison. 'I want to see that there's justice, and hopefully there will be,' the victim, now 17, told The Daily News, saying he plans to attend the federal court proceedings.
FAIR USE NOTICE Some
of the information on The Awareness Center's web pages may contain
copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically
authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available
in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political,
human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice
issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such
copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on
this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a
prior interest in receiving the included information for research and
educational purposes.
For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use
copyrighted material from this update for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
