Former Saugerties High School custodian and wrestling coach Reid Kappler has been sentenced to six and a half years in state prison, plus 10 years of post-release supervision, after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting two teenage students. Prosecutors say the assaults took place between 2023 and 2024, when the students were 15 and 16 years old. Kappler was arrested at his Connecticut home last summer and has remained behind bars awaiting sentencing.
Sentence and court order
On March 25 in Ulster County Court, Judge Bryan Rounds handed down the six-and-a-half-year prison term and decade of supervision, according to a press release from the Ulster County District Attorney's Office. The DA’s announcement notes that Kappler pleaded guilty in January to three counts of rape in the third degree as part of a plea agreement.
Prosecutor's statement
Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji said the case highlights the lasting damage caused by child sexual abuse. "I hope the current national dialogue and outrage about sexual crimes against children gets the message across that no community should let this happen," Nneji said in the DA’s release. The statement urged schools and law enforcement agencies to work together more closely to protect children and encouraged anyone with information to contact the Family and Child Advocacy Center.
Plea and victim details
Kappler entered his guilty plea on Jan. 5 to three counts of rape in the third degree, admitting that he had sexual intercourse with two Saugerties High School students who were 15 and 16 at the time, as reported by Times Union. Prosecutors said one of the victims agreed to the plea terms, while the other declined to participate in the prosecution.
Arrest and investigation
The allegations against Kappler surfaced amid a broader investigation into misconduct by another local official. He was taken into custody at his Connecticut residence last summer by a task force that included U.S. Marshals, the Ulster County Sheriff's Office and investigators from the DA’s office, The Daily Freeman reported. Authorities say that a separate inquiry into a former part-time Saugerties police officer helped uncover the coach’s conduct.
Local reaction and oversight
The prosecutions have stirred anger and scrutiny in Saugerties, where parents and residents have demanded answers about how earlier warning signs were handled. Times Union reported that DA Nneji has criticized what he described as a long-standing culture of under-reporting, and that the district superintendent resigned amid the fallout.
Legal implications
Under New York law, rape in the third degree carries a maximum of four years in prison per count, but Kappler’s plea resolved an 18-count indictment and resulted in an agreed sentence of six and a half years, The Daily Freeman reported. The related case against former part-time Saugerties officer Sydney Mills remains pending in Ulster County Court, according to local coverage, and investigators say both cases stem from the same inquiry into suspected sexual misconduct.
Support and next steps
Anyone with information about suspected child sexual abuse or who needs assistance can contact the Ulster County Family and Child Advocacy Center at (845) 334-5155 or the Ulster County Crime Victims Assistance Program at (845) 340-3443. In an emergency or if someone is in immediate danger, call 911. The DA’s office has urged community members to come forward to support ongoing investigations.
