Weekend News Briefing
Written by WBTA STAFF on September 21, 2019
61 year old Peter Kiwitt of Rochester was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with multiple counts of sex trafficking of a minor using force, fraud, and coercion, and possession of child pornography.
According to the prosecutor in the case in June 2017, the defendant was convicted in Monroe County of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child, was sentenced to serve 10 years’ probation, and designated as a Level 1 Sex Offender.
He was allegedly known by lawmen to be involved with an Adult and a Minor female victim and was arrested after the minor female victim fatally overdosed while she was engaged in alleged prostitution at a Rochester residence.
Investigators traced phone conversations and exchange of child pornography back to Kiwitt.
After making an initial appearance Kiwitt is due back in court on September 25th
The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Batavia man takes plea deal on sex abuse charges.
Wesley Thigpen appeared in Genesee County Court where he accepted a plea deal for on an Alford basis, meaning that he pleads guilty without admitting the accusations against him are true.
Thigpen was accused by First Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini of showing sexually explicit pictures of himself to and committing other sexually related actions with a 13 year old girl.
The plea deal guarantees that Thigpen will spend no more than four years in prison, avoiding the more than a decade he could have faced were he convicted at trial of sexual abuse, two counts of burglary, and criminal contempt.
He was ultimately returned to jail to await sentencing while his bail was held at $10,000.
A Batavia resident living in a halfway house in Steuben County has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in Federal Court.
According to the prosecutor handling the case, fellow residents of a halfway house in Bath alerted authorities that they observed concerning images of possible child porn on 51 year old Daryl Sumeriski’s cell phone.
A search warrant was executed as a result of the complaint and investigators found more than 3,000 images of child pornography on Sumeriski’s phone.
He faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible quarter million dollars fine when he is sentenced on January 10th of next year.
President Trump is being ordered to answer questions under oath for a civil suit in the Bronx.
New York Supreme Court Justice Doris Gonzalez issued the ruling Friday in a case involving a group of protesters who claim they were roughed up by security guards at Trump Towers in 2015.
The judge rejected the argument that the President should not have to testify because of his duties.
The order requires Trump to give a videotaped deposition before the trial.
