Brooklyn, NY – Unlicensed Orthodox Counselor Sentenced To 103 Years

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    FILE - In this May 16, 2012 video frame grab provided by WCBS-TV, Nechemya Weberman attends a fundraiser in the Brooklyn borough of New York, where his supporters contributed to a legal defense fund for his trial on charges of sexually abusing a girl he was supposed to be counseling. Weberman, a religious counselor in New York’s ultra-orthodox Satmar Jewish community, was convicted of the crime in December 2012. (AP Photo/WCBS-TV, File)Brooklyn, NY – A religious counselor in New York City’s ultra-orthodox Jewish community who was convicted of molesting a girl who came to him for help has been sentenced to 103 years in prison.

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    Nechemya Weberman (nuh-HEHM’-yuh) was sentenced Tuesday. He was convicted in December of sustained sexual abuse of a child.

    His trial put a spotlight on the insular Satmar Hasidic sect in Brooklyn and its strict rules governing clothing, social customs and interaction with the outside world.

    The girl, now 18, testified for days about the abuse. She had been questioning her faith and dressing immodestly in violation of the sect’s customs, so she was sent to Weberman for counseling. She says the abuse started when she was 12 and lasted until she was 15.

    Weberman testified that he “never, ever” abused her.

    The court received dozens of letters from supporters of the defendant who described his life in the community as a counselor and a father.

    “Nechemya Weberman is innocent of the crimes charged,” defense attorney George Farkas insisted at the sentencing.

    Weberman said “no thank you” when asked if he wished to speak. He and his wife 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 defense argued that the girl was angry that Weberman had told her parents she had a boyfriend at age 15, forbidden in her community. Attorney Stacey Richman said the case boiled down to a simple “he said, she said,” and the girl was a petulant, calculating liar.

    “The only evidence in this case of sexual abuse is the word of” the accuser, Richman told jurors. “She’s making things up in front of you as they occur.”

    But the jury took just hours in December to convict Weberman on all counts.

    Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes released a statement after the sentencing saying, “If there is one message to take away from this case it is that this office will pursue the evil of sexual abuse of a child no matter where it occurs in this county. We must protect our children from sexual predators.”

    “The abuse of a child cannot be swept under the rug or dealt with by insular groups believing only they know what is best for their community. In this case it took the courage of a young woman to drive home the point that justice can only be achieved through the involvement of civil authorities charged with protecting all the people.”.


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    320 Comments
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    Anon Ibid Opcit
    Anon Ibid Opcit
    11 years ago

    For once justice was done. Let us hope this will help break the Wall of Silence and lead to a Jewish Community which is safe for children rather than rapists

    chaimbrooklyn
    chaimbrooklyn
    11 years ago

    OMG. does he still have chances for less years? what a shame… No evidence at all… Corrupted system… This is America 2013! SHAME!!!

    GevalDigeh
    GevalDigeh
    11 years ago

    Oy veyyy nebech. 7 years would be enough for him.

    bobgrant
    bobgrant
    11 years ago

    The bottom line is there was no evidence clear evidence and I’m just thinking what goes to the judges mind to be able to give somebody hundred and 13 years in prison with no feelings

    MonseyLuke
    MonseyLuke
    11 years ago

    Waiting for the spin on this one. Sad. Luke

    Realist77
    Realist77
    11 years ago

    No it was not antisemitism. His own actions, and misconduct got him his sentence.

    tired
    tired
    11 years ago

    very sad for every one

    My2Cents_
    My2Cents_
    11 years ago

    we got what we planted … mosiach needs to come … this is a travesty of justice
    assuming he did it , does not get someone a LIFE sentence … this reminds me of the wild wild west , when a Judge can not decipher what real justice should be ..
    I hope all those that still believe in the Justice system will wake up and see why this is NOT the way to go ….
    Yes Child abuse is extremely damaging and leave multiple scars forever on the child … But if Murder gets you 25 . and probation ,. how does abuse get you 103 years ?
    We live in the media age , both the Judge , DA , and the media , made a show of this trial , and so this is a very sad ending
    having said all this, I still FAULT Mr Weberman for not taking a deal if he was offered one , the Chillul Hashem this has cause is HUGE .. and had he taken a deal ( even if innocent) he would have had a zechus for olem haba .. ( if he was truly innocent)
    I wish all those involved that they should be able to heal and move on with a productive life
    Hanistures Hashem El’kanei .. we believe that this was what he wanted and that when the light will shine once again on us , we will all see the Truth

    we truly live in dark times

    ALTERG
    ALTERG
    11 years ago

    Levi Aron a real murder got only 40 years, & weberman w/o any evidence w/o any witnesses w/o any videos got 103? we need to move back to Europe

    mirrerbochur
    mirrerbochur
    11 years ago

    Hashem yirachem! Innocent until proven guilty is something of the past.

    Yaakov2
    Yaakov2
    11 years ago

    It sends a strong message to the community he come from that not only will such predators pay dearly but any leadership which continues to cover it up and to be in denial that it’s widespread in the community, will meat the same fate.

    The Pasuk “Al Tigeu Bimeshichai” is warning statement form G-d, or else pay the price.

    The price to pay is very high: 1 year for each hair cut off Reb Pinye’s beard.

    DRE53
    DRE53
    11 years ago

    UNBELEIVABLE

    11 years ago

    What a sad day. It is gratifying to see that molesters no longer go unpunished.
    However to put this man behind bars for so many years is senseless.
    Who gains ? Society can achieve deterrence with much a smaller yet still harsh sentence. There is no defending what this man allegedly did (mind you there was no physical evidence and we did not hear testimony from any other victims).
    But why a sentence usually reserved for mass murderers ?

    bubii
    bubii
    11 years ago

    Nebeh what a tragedy for all involved .

    toolee
    toolee
    11 years ago

    I am NOT a supporter of Mr Weberman or the Satmar community.
    But this is a shame that a person gets punished because of “HERESAY”.
    Say what you want, it was only her word against his.
    NO witnesses No evidence No DNA
    N O T H I N G

    chaimmordche
    chaimmordche
    11 years ago

    yeah! i really believe him! when will we wake up and get these monsters off the streets?

    yaakov doe
    Member
    yaakov doe
    11 years ago

    A little excessive, don’t you think?

    maysways18
    maysways18
    11 years ago

    Oh Nebech BDE
    Hashem should help that this so called victim should do tshuvah , and admit the real truth and get this man out of jail asap.
    However the case according to the torah rules there is NO jail for any sin, and in this case , a jew is obligated to the torah rules not to the secular judges scentence.

    Liepa
    Liepa
    11 years ago

    Oy Vey, Hashem yeracheim!

    Sherree
    Sherree
    11 years ago

    B”H, it is only because the victim was as brave as Dovid Hamelech standing up to Goliath, and that she had the support of so many people who believed her and were willing to stand up for her. She found her strength not only because of what he did to her but because of what he did to countless others and her fear of what he would continue to do if she didn’t come forward. She is a hero and he will never again be able to hurt another child because of her bravery. Even though her community harassed and threatened her and her family, she stood up in the face of adversity and fought for what was yasher! Kol Hakovod to this brave neshoma.

    We all need to learn a lesson here. Kol Yisroel areivim zeh l’zeh. If we don’t stand up and protect our children from evil, no one else will! If we don’t support those who do, we put our own children at risk. Stop being blind sided, use the common sense Hashem gave you and protect the children he gifted into your care. If you don’t you will have to answer to HIM after 120. You davened to Hashem for children, don’t laugh in his face when it comes to caring for them, step up to the plate.

    11 years ago

    This is a landmark case. I hope the frum world will finally wake up to the fact that the garb of piety is the oldest disguise in the world to conceal perversion. This perp is not a religious man– he makes a mockery of holiness. May this be the beginning of the healing process for all the victims of such crimes out there. Truth will prevail and it is the ONLY pathway to Redemption.

    InsideOne
    InsideOne
    11 years ago

    Great! Finally a clear message that abuse of powerless young boys and girls by the well-connected in our communities can have real consequences.

    Hopefully, there will be more such sntences to come (not like the frum guy in Monsey that just got away with no jail time on a guilty plea).

    michigan
    michigan
    11 years ago

    He should not see the light of day again and have done to him 10x over what he did to this girl and probably many other innocent children. Sick man. Shame on him and everyone saying he should be free. Sick people.

    Liepa
    Liepa
    11 years ago

    The judge used bad judgement! Murderers get far less than 103 years.
    If in fact abuse occurred, than the punishment should fit the crime. Wouldn’t 5 years have done that!

    cbdds
    cbdds
    11 years ago

    Yes, it seems as though there was no direct evidence but he was no tzadik. I guess in some way what you do catches up with you. He accepted money for tzedaka and spent it on personal stuff, including ladies intimate garments. This CHARITY FRAUD WAS ADMITTED BY HIM AND BASED ON CLEAR EVIDENCE.
    Guilty of something in my books.

    Snagged
    Snagged
    11 years ago

    One wonders how the idiots above believe that there was a justice system before tv cameras and DNA.

    No evidence? of course there was evidence. Testimony IS evidence.

    unbelvbl
    unbelvbl
    11 years ago

    Levy Aaron get 40 years, and Nechmia Weberman gets 100 years!!

    berelw
    berelw
    11 years ago

    Im a victims advocate. any abuse shouldn’t be tolerated…but 103 years in inhumain for anyone.. 5 year is will do just fine….

    News_Pains
    News_Pains
    11 years ago

    What a Chillul Hashem!

    11 years ago

    Mr. Weberman needed to take the plea deal. His attorney certainly should have guided him to do so! By going to trial, he gambled with his life and unfortunately lost.

    Election2014
    Election2014
    11 years ago

    Evidence!!!

    this guy admitted to having 3 bolt locks on his private room were he met with the girls, that door with 3 bolt locks are not a main door to walk in to the house… isn’t that enough proof that this guy did things that were wrong?

    which normal person has 3 bolt locks (not regular locks) on a door which was meant to be a room for counseling? I’ve gone to my share of therapists in my life time not only don’t they have a lock on the room, the door is always ajar (open) a little.

    Sol-Sol
    Sol-Sol
    11 years ago

    Lets not forget all his victims that will be suffering in their own jails until 120 years!

    Liepa
    Liepa
    11 years ago

    A judge on drugs!

    itzik18
    itzik18
    11 years ago

    This will only cause more fear and coverups – I believe he is innocent and most of the community agrees – all this will do is cause people do mistrust goyim more and also not want to try to help otd kids. If there is such a thing as a chillul Hashem for a non-Jew this is it because this sentence will only cause more fear of goyim by our community.

    Ben_Kol
    Ben_Kol
    11 years ago

    Boruch Hashem we have a working justice system that keeps dangerous criminals away from the public. It’s irrelevant whether he gets 50 years or 100 years. The point is that he will rot in jail for the rest of his life, and never attack young girls again.

    jkier74
    jkier74
    11 years ago

    While I might agree that this is excessive, remember even according to Torah law, you can be chayev for each and every aveiro that is done numberous times. Thus you end up with multiple punishment for the same chet. If this would have been a one time abuse he would have received a lot less. Sinc this abuse ocurred over a few years, he is punished for each and every crime – just as in the Torah. After a 120 years we are also punished for each and every aveiro. I am not even talking about the aveiro of Chillul Hashem. That is separate.

    I also feel that if you ruin a person’s life you should be punished at least the same – your life should be ruined. It is a sad situation. He should have taken the plea bargain. I feel bad for his family. But then again, every criminal has familyy too and they still get punished. Hashem Yerachem

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    11 years ago

    The message was sent! and Delivered!! Received???????

    GevalDigeh
    GevalDigeh
    11 years ago

    Reply to number 9 Ok
    You maybe right but who cares as longest both of them don’t see the day light again it’s good
    40 103 300 it’s all the same
    20 minimum
    But it’s not only one girl now there is more girls complaining he did the same to them

    11 years ago

    Ten other women spoke with the DA but I read only one will testify against him. Now that will not be necessary. May the other ten women who were abused by him have peace now that he can no longer hurt them or their children.

    neezoogshoin
    neezoogshoin
    11 years ago

    Everyone is saying “sad” “tragedy”… don’t you feel less intelligent when you are basing your claims on hearsay???

    I’ll bet 95% of the commenters do not know what was said in court, they are just repeating what they heard in shul and from their local brainwasher. This is the saddest part.

    I have only one thing to say to people who defend rapists and child molestors: “Until it happens to your child”.

    11 years ago

    he should have plea bargained to first degree murder

    GevalDigeh
    GevalDigeh
    11 years ago

    Reply to number 52. Based on tgat ge is a bebech and tgat seven years is enough for him to learn his lesson not to do ut again

    11 years ago

    I’m in no way judging or saying anything regarding this particular case. I’d just like people to know that sometimes, just SOMETIMES, one can be accused wrongly. And just because one did not defend oneself properly, or was not able to, does not at all incriminate.

    Case in point – I used to blog away at a certain site until recently when I was so viciously accused of “stalking” someone. A full blown “page” was put up against me (with all private details for extra measure), and any attempts to respond, to explain, to defend were, and are, quashed. This attacker, who should have known better, is still unaware of her terrible, most damaging mistake.

    While of course it’s only an on-line thing, nothing IRL, those hurting words, the embarrassment, mortification still lingers on.

    So I know first hand – sometimes, sometimes an accusation can be a fabrication.

    11 years ago

    You hope for webermans sake that he did do it, so he got caught and he has to pay(even though 103 years is a bit much) if he didnt do it and is sitting for life, how could he possibly make it through sitting for the next ……..

    farrockgrandma
    farrockgrandma
    11 years ago

    Personally, I think the sentence is entirely appropriate. Too bad his friends and neighbors, who engaged in witness intimidation, can’t share the honors.
    The lesson here is that if we want to ask the victim not to involve the civil authorities, the community has a responsibility to address the offense and protect the innocent. The young lady deserves a big round of applause for stepping forward. And we do have a ‘Catholic priest’ problem. We do not want to believe that someone we respect and trust is capable of evil.

    Sarak
    Sarak
    11 years ago

    shows you how the system is messed up, a killer of a child levi aron got 40 years, he did unspeakable things,

    this guy, some off the derech girl that needs to blame someone for her goyishness (something no non hassidic jury would understand) made up a story and now she basically killed this man

    Avi613
    Avi613
    11 years ago

    This is Not Justice!!!
    This is a Lynch!!!

    If this was a nonjew he would have gotten at most a few years never 103 or even more than 10, so Jewish Blood is cheap!!
    Here in the usa court system!!

    Im not sayin hes innocent, but 10 years an entire decade would be more than enough, 15 years already beyond enough, but 103!!!

    A certain group of people would not let one of them to be treated this way and it wouldnt happen because they would be on the streets!!
    Maybe its time the chevra in willi show their strenght!!
    Because i got news for you
    Tommorow it may be you or someone in your family who did something not kosher on their taxes or whatever and they will also get 30, 50 or even 100 years!!!
    Because they can get away, because jewish blood is cheap!
    This is clearly antisemetism cause no nonjew ever got close to this!!
    Again he very well maybe guilty, but this not justice!!!

    ShatzMatz
    ShatzMatz
    11 years ago

    To all those complaining about the severe sentence, the judge was only following our request. Like idiots we hung up fundraiser signs all over the neighborhood stating “Alilas 75”, well if you ask for 75 years then that is what you are going to get. Since that fundraising fiasco, there has been plenty reason to add to the original 75 years. Harassing the victim is worth another 10 years, putting her husband out of business is worth at least another 10 years, acting like the mafia in court and illegally taking the witnesses pictures is worth about 5 years. Throwing the victim’s niece out of school is worth another 5 years, Aron Teitelbaum calling the victim a whore in public, another 5 years, launching the Jewish Phonebook to put the father out of business at least another 20 years, and grilling the victim on the stand for 4 straight days is worth at least another 20 years. All in all he got quite a bargain. And think about it, with good behavior he could be out in 75 years, just like the posters said. Mamesh Ruach Hakodesh.

    commonsense99
    commonsense99
    11 years ago

    So much for the Justice system, Weberman with no witnesses get 100 yrs and Moishe Turner who admitted having anal sex with a 14 year old over 7 times get 10 year probation, please explain that to me

    11 years ago

    I am not a navi and don’t know what the judge was thinking when he came up with this sentence. But here are some things to consider:

    1) Weberman was part of the Williamsburg Vaad Hatznius

    2) The Williamsburg community organized a fund raiser for Weberman and raised $500,000. They motivated people to donate by hanging up posters that the victim is a bomb attacking the community and didnt want to give her, her right to tell her side in court.

    3) The fundraiser and the demonization of the victim was interpreted by many professionals outside the community as harassment of the victim

    a) to scare her from testifying and even more important,

    b) to scare off any other victims from testifying about Weberman or other abusers.

    4) Four people from the community were arrested for harassing the victims husband, and their acts of harassment were recorded and will be used as evidence against them. One of the four even offered her husband $500,000 if he gets his wife to drop the charges. Please note, that he offered the same amount of money that was raised at the fund raiser. Is that just a coincidence ?

    5) Reb Aaron made comments in public that were interpreted by many, as additional demonization of the victim and any other victims considering reporting their abusers to the authorities.

    To any logical person; especially an outsider, all of the above points to an active campaign by community leaders to cover up for sexual abuse within their community and to prevent victims from working with the police and the justice system.

    Do you think its possible the judge felt the need to send a very strong message to the community and its leaders and used Weberman (who was part of the Vaad Hatznius) as his proxy ?