Nechemya Weberman of New York City’s ultra-orthodox community convicted in December of 59 counts for molesting girl who came to him with questions about her faith
ynetÂ
A religious counselor in New York City’s ultra-orthodox Jewish community was sentenced Tuesday to 103 years in prison for molesting a girl who came to him with questions about her faith.
Nechemya Weberman was convicted in December of 59 counts, including sustained sexual abuse of a child, endangering the welfare of a child and sexual abuse.
The trial put a spotlight on the city’s ultra-orthodox community and its strict rules that govern interaction with the outside world. The city is home to the largest community of ultra-orthodox Jews outside Israel, more than 250,000.
Both Weberman, 54, and the girl belonged to the Satmar Hasidic sect, which has its own ambulances, volunteer police and rabbinical courts. Followers are discouraged from going to secular authorities.
During the trial, men were arrested on charges they tried to bribe the girl and her now-husband to drop the case. Others were accused of taking photos of her on the witness stand and posting them online.
The accuser, now 18, testified that Weberman abused her repeatedly behind his locked office door from the time she was 12 until she was 15.
Her school had ordered her to see Weberman because she had been asking questions about her religion and was dressing immodestly in violation of the sect’s customs. Weberman wasn’t a licensed counselor but spent decades working with couples and families.
There was no physical evidence of abuse.
The defense argued that the girl was angry that Weberman had told her parents she had a boyfriend at age 15, which is forbidden in the community. Attorney Stacey Richman said the case came down to a simple “he said, she said.”
“She’s making things up in front of you as they occur,” Richman told jurors.
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said he hoped the case would persuade other victims to come forward. Hynes has been accused of overlooking crimes in the ultra-orthodox Jewish community because he was too cozy with powerful rabbis, a charge he vehemently denies.
Weberman said “no thank you” when asked if he wished to speak. He had no visible reaction to the sentence. The top charge carried a sentence of 25 years; he got consecutive terms for some of the other charges.
The Associated Press typically doesn’t identify people who say they are the victims of sexual assault.
#1 by isaac on January 23, 2013 - 10:26 pm
It is in their most sacred book “THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD”, Most of the rabbis just follow the tradition. However if “There was no physical evidence” I think he shouldn’t get that harsh penalty.
#2 by Paulo Panigale on January 23, 2013 - 11:17 pm
HA! This made my day. This arrogant, smug pervert is going to prison. Let this be a warning to his fellow ultra-orthos! Yet, I fear he will be given special treatment, and the Jews will donate heavily to his appeal. In NY, if you’re convicted of a crime with a sentence of over one year, you’re supposed to serve your sentence in state prison. At least this Jew devil will be off the street. I’m pretty sure he’ll have all kinds of privileges most inmates don’t have.
#3 by bigcree1Shadowhawk on January 23, 2013 - 11:39 pm
Hope the other ‘Rabbis’ are watching. You can run on for a long time but sooner or later Natural LAW; WILL catch up with you.
#4 by lolathecur on January 24, 2013 - 12:31 am
She was getting her salvation from the jews. John 4:22
#5 by annebeck58 on January 24, 2013 - 4:41 am
That fake rabbi, Dov Coder (CoCo) of JIDF infamy, is flitting about ytoob trying to convince people this Ultra-Orthydox clan is, “anti-Zionist” (haha). I think he’s trying to convince people that it’s the NK Sect, which it isn’t.
This is of the same Orthodox Sect that was caught selling organs, not the NK Rabbis, who do threaten israhell it is NOT a legal state.
But, the others, including CoCo, are trying to do some damage-control.
Don’t let Coder get away with this.
By the way, when it comes to the girl (18 yrs-old) and the he-said, she-said, I really could not say which is in the wrong, just based on this article. If this rabbi did this, I hope he does rot in prison. If not, I hope the girl is found to be lying….
Not enough evidence in this short article for me to believe either way.
#7 by puppy powder on January 24, 2013 - 8:14 am
The father should have smashed his face in, taken a poster picture, and called it justice.
Why do people tolerate skinners??!
#8 by Ingrid B on January 25, 2013 - 12:58 am
why do young girls take their problems to these perverts, can`t they talk to their parents?
#9 by annebeck58 on January 25, 2013 - 6:25 pm
Why do the young girls take their problems to them? I don’t know if this girl was. She said he’d heard about her (prohibited) boyfriend, and was lording it over her, which is why she went to see him (so often?)
It’s why I say I wouldn’t know which one to believe of this pair; the young liar or the older, experienced, liar.– I wouldn’t know just based on the article(s) because I don’t know I’d trust either.
#10 by bigcree1Shadowhawk on January 25, 2013 - 10:26 pm
Being they are part of a Cult that blindly trusts perverts with their children, like such lemmings this is the result. As long as they continue doing this they will never see just how stupid they are. How many times does it take for them to finally get it?