A Colonie man received probation and will have to register as a sex offender in a sexual abuse case that began with a girl reporting the abuse five years later, authorities said.
Andrew Besson, 51, pleaded guilty earlier in Rotterdam Town Court to one count of third-degree attempted criminal sex act, a misdemeanor.
He appeared in court Monday evening with his attorney Steve Coffey to receive his formal sentence of six years of probation. He will also have to register as a sex offender and the judge issued an order of protection on behalf of the girl. He will be classified as Level 1, the lowest risk to reoffend.
Rotterdam police arrested Besson in November after an investigation that began when a girl disclosed the allegations to a friend, then her mother, prosecutor Tracey Brunecz said after court Monday.
The girl told police Besson abused her from the age of 8 to the age of 11. Police originally charged Besson with first-degree criminal sexual act, a felony.
Besson was allowed to plead guilty to the misdemeanor after prosecutors reviewed the case and spoke with the victim’s family, Brunecz said.
Brunecz said the family’s biggest concern was that Besson plead guilty to a registerable sex offense and that an order of protection be issued on behalf of the girl.
“After talking with the family, it was decided that this was the appropriate route to go,” Brunecz said.
The prosecutor said she understood Besson’s late wife ran a day care at some point, but the victim had nothing to do with the day care.
Investigators uncovered no victims other than the girl, Brunecz said.
Besson’s attorney, Coffey, declined to comment afterward. Judge Kenneth Litz presided.
GAZETTE COVERAGE
Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribeMore from The Daily Gazette:
Images: First region cannabis sales at Schenectady's Upstate Canna Co. (19 photos)
Donald Trump indicted; expected to surrender early next week
No timetable for Slater replacement following Schenectady official's arrest and resignation
Capital Region school districts latest to react to hoax shooter calls
Rotterdam seeking engineering firm to oversee water infrastructure improvements
Categories: News, Schenectady County
