A volunteer tutor at the Port Washington Public Library is facing serious charges after Nassau County detectives say he sexually abused a 7-year-old girl during tutoring sessions inside the building on two separate Saturdays.
Investigators allege that 18-year-old Taylor Lindberg abused the child on May 11 and again on May 18 while he was volunteering as a tutor at the library. He is charged with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, according to authorities.
Lindberg was arraigned on May 20 in First District Court in Hempstead, where a judge set bail at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond. The Nassau County district attorney's office said he posted bail and was released, according to WABC. The case is scheduled to return to Nassau County court on Wednesday, May 27, News 12 reports.
What investigators allege
Court paperwork reviewed by detectives states that Lindberg abused the child twice inside the library and used his phone to photograph her in the building's basement. The documents also allege that before one incident he told the girl, "I have a secret," and then led her to a bathroom, according to records obtained by WABC.
Library response and community reaction
The Port Washington Public Library says it first learned of the allegations on May 18. The person accused was a volunteer tutor who has since been banned from the property while the library reviews its safety protocols. Neighbors told News 12 they were stunned that such allegations surfaced in a space long viewed as a safe haven for local families.
How to report
Detectives are urging anyone with information, or anyone who believes they may also have been victimized by the same individual, to contact the Nassau County Special Victims Squad at 516-573-4022 or Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. Patch notes that callers can remain anonymous.
Legal context
Lindberg faces three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, an offense in New York that is generally classified as a Class D felony and can carry a sentence of up to seven years in prison under Penal Law §130.65, according to NY Courts. The charges remain allegations, and Lindberg is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court. Prosecutors and the judge will determine the next steps as the case proceeds in Nassau County.
