Emanuel Yegutkin, 33, the former principal of Elite High School in Bensonhurst, was convicted Monday morning of all 75 counts of charges that he sexually abused three boys over the course of a decade.
“This conviction is an example of my office’s policy not to tolerate horrendous crimes that target children,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes through a spokesman.
Another spokesman later added on his behalf, “this sexual predator faces the remainder of his life behind bars. This should serve as a clear message that those who would sexually abuse children anywhere in this county will be punished severely.”
All three victims testified at the trial, which began on Oct. 18th. The jury of seven men and six women deliberated most of Thursday (Nov. 29) and on Friday morning before reaching their verdict Monday morning.
The felony charges were related a to “a course of sexual conduct against children,” said the spokesman, Jerry Shmetterer.
Yegutkin faces at least 30 years in jail. No sentencing date has been set.
He was arrested in January 2009 on charges of child molestation and endangering the welfare of a child. According to prosecutors, Yegutkin was a regular guest in the home of his victims’ after befriending their father. The abuse took place from 1996 to 2005, when the two boys were ages seven to 15-years-old, and in 2008, and he exposed the third boy to pornography. He forced them to perform sex acts including fondling and oral sex, prosecutors Rachel Schmidt and Lauren Traum convinced the jury.
Sources have told The Jewish Week Yegutkin — who also worked as a camp counselor and volunteer Hatzolah medic — had been seen at Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services, a key Orthodox-run social service agency, prior to his arrest in a controversial program that treats potential or suspected sexual abusers. Critics say such a program prevents abusers from being reported to the police.
NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the victims were students at the yeshiva where Yegutkin was principal.
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