The FBI is asking anyone who may have been victimized by a Cornwall-on-Hudson man now serving a decade behind bars for sexually abusing two young boys to come forward, warning that his decades in the military carried him through several states where he could have targeted more children. James Valentine, now in his late 50s, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on July 27 after pleading guilty to first-degree and second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.
According to Daily Voice, the FBI's New York Division Hudson Valley Resident Agency is now seeking information from people who may have been victimized by Valentine, whose military service gave him the opportunity to live in Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and California over the years. The bureau is also encouraging anyone who believes someone else was victimized to have that person reach out directly. Investigators say Valentine, listed at 58 by FBI investigators, targeted boys between the ages of 8 and 16 over a stretch running from 1985 through 2025 — a 40-year span that far outlasts the criminal case that put him behind bars.
The case that led to his conviction centers on two boys who were 8 and 12 years old when the abuse began, victimized at Valentine's former home in Valley Cottage between February 2008 and February 2016. He was arrested in July 2025 following a New York State Police investigation, and the multi-county probe that followed drew in the FBI New York's Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Clarkstown Police Department, and the district attorney's offices of both Rockland and Orange counties.
How the Case Against Valentine Unfolded
The investigation traces back to June 4, 2025, when two 15-year-old boys reported inappropriate interactions at Valentine's home in Cornwall to the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. That local complaint prompted detectives to uncover evidence of abuse stretching back decades and across multiple jurisdictions, according to the New York State Police. Valentine was formally remanded to the Rockland County Jail without bail by Judge Kevin F. Russo at his July 10, 2025 arraignment, after the Rockland County District Attorney's Office had already obtained a grand jury indictment charging him with second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.
That original indictment gave way to a broader 2026 plea agreement incorporating first-degree charges as well. Under New York Penal Law, first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child is a Class B violent felony, while the second-degree version is a Class D violent felony carrying up to seven years, per the Rockland County District Attorney's Office. Valentine's sentences — 10 years on the first-degree charge and five years on the second-degree charge — will run concurrently, and he'll serve five years of supervised release once he's out. He'll also be required to register as a sex offender and must stay away from both known victims following his release.
Prosecutors Detail Grooming Tactics in Court
During sentencing proceedings in Rockland County Court, prosecutors said Valentine permitted alcohol and marijuana inside his home and gave young victims money in exchange for taking part in sexual games, according to News 12 Westchester. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Gerard M. Damiani III of the Rockland County DA's Special Victims Unit led the prosecution.
At the July 27 hearing, the mother of one victim confronted Valentine directly in court, calling him a monster. Afterward, she told News 12 that his 10-year sentence was far too lenient and that he deserved life in prison. Just before the sentence was handed down, Valentine told the court he was ashamed of his behavior and took full responsibility, saying he had found religion; his defense attorney told the judge that Valentine suffered from an underlying compulsion and illness.
FBI Wants Anyone Else Who Was Targeted to Come Forward
The FBI's public appeal, launched two days ago on August 26, cited federal law requiring the agency to identify victims of federal crimes under investigation so they can access statutory crime victim services, restitution and legal protections, per Patch. Identified victims of federal crimes may qualify for certain services, restitution and other rights under federal or state law, the bureau noted.
Investigators say Valentine used the Snapchat username jimjam5572 and another platform username, bud967, while allegedly seeking out victims. The FBI has asked anyone victimized by Valentine, anyone with a minor dependent who was victimized, or anyone with information about his alleged criminal behavior to submit tips through its online victim and witness form. The bureau said it will keep the identities of potential victims confidential.
Whether Valentine's decades of travel through Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and California produced additional victims — or whether any new charges will follow in other states or in federal court — remains unresolved as the FBI continues collecting responses to its nationwide appeal.
