DA: Sheriff Provided 'Erroneous' Address in Rape Case

Putnam County District Attorney Adam Levy is speaking out after news broke that a Southeast man, who once lived at his Indian Wells Road home, is charged with raping a 12-year-old girl.

Levy released a statement (available in its entirety below) Friday afternoon, maintaining that he fulfilled his job obligations without hesitation by recusing himself from the case. He did so because his family has known the defendant, Alexandru Ionut Hossu, for years. 

Hossu is reportedly an illegal immigrant from Romania who has worked in the area as a personal trainer. His temporary work visa expired more than a decade ago, police say.

The announcement from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office did not specify where Hossu was arrested, saying only that it happened in Southeast. According to Levy, Hossu was arrested at a Clock Tower Commons Drive residence. 

No mention of that residence was made by the Sheriff's Office Thursday. Capt. William McNamara, whose name appeared on the top of the release announcing the charges, was not available for comment Friday afternoon.

"Sheriff [Donald] Smith issued a press release that omitted the place of Mr. Hossu’s arrest as his residence at 512 Clock Tower Commons Drive and instead, erroneously listed Mr. Hossu’s address as 70 Indian Wells Road, my address," Levy said.

Clock Tower Commons Drive is home to a range of businesses, including a bank, a dance studio, a restaurant and several professional establishments—as well as vacant offices. A source very familiar with the complex told Patch there are no residential units there. 

Editor's note: Levy's office sent an additional release stating the first address he provided was not the arrest location. The second address he provided is 221 Clock Tower Commons Drive.

Statement from Adam Levy:

(Putnam County, NY March 22, 2013) — Since 2008, the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office has aggressively and successfully prosecuted the most heinous of all criminal defendants – those who abuse children. Our success has been due, in part, to the methodical and meticulous manner that my team of prosecutors and fellow state and federal law enforcement officers use to investigate allegations of child abuse. A successful prosecution always begins with a thorough investigation.

Since my first days in office, our priority was to improve the way law enforcement agencies like the Sheriff’s Department handled child sexual abuse allegations. Within months of my election, I partnered with the Putnam County Women’s Resource Center and purchased the first video camera that could be used by investigators to enhance child abuse investigations. 

I, along with my seasoned prosecutors, embarked on a five-year mission to educate Sheriff Smith and his most senior investigators, on the benefits of using videotape technology and other basic case-enhancement techniques to improve the investigatory portion of child abuse prosecutions. All this was done for one purpose, and one purpose only—to protect our children from sexual molesters.

In furtherance of our mission, upon learning that the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department was investigating an allegation against Mr. Alexandru Hossu, who my family had known for years, I immediately requested the appointment of an independent prosecutor. At the same time, my office contacted the chief of the sex crimes investigations unit of the Westchester County District Attorney’s office. This was to ensure the 15 year-old complainant was safe, secure and provided with all necessary services to reduce the overwhelming trauma associated with a disclosure of this type.

The Westchester County District Attorney was formally assigned the task of assisting the Sheriff in the investigation and to provide whatever guidance, support and advice was necessary to ensure the case was handled in a professional and objective manner. Those were my obligations as district attorney and I performed them without hesitation. 

On March 20, 2013, members of the Sherriff’s Department arrested Mr. Hossu on a warrant at his residence at 521 Clock Tower Commons Dr., in Brewster, NY.  

On March 21, 2013, Sheriff Smith issued a press release that omitted the place of Mr. Hossu’s arrest as his residence at 521 Clock Tower Commons Drive and instead, erroneously listed Mr. Hossu’s address as 70 Indian Wells Road, my address.

I have advised the Westchester County DA’s Office that my family and I remain available to assist in their investigation in any way we can.