A 40-year-old Ossining man showed up at his ex's workplace, forced her into his car, and drove her to a secluded wooded area near the Muscoot Reservoir in Somers, where he allegedly choked her, threatened to kill her, and kept her from leaving, according to police. She eventually broke free and flagged down a passing driver for help.
New York State Police announced that Freddy Orlando Guamani Orbes was arrested Sunday, August 16, in connection with the attack, which police say occurred the previous night. According to Daily Voice, Guamani Orbes arrived at his ex's workplace and demanded she get into his car before driving her to the wooded area near the reservoir. The investigation was handled by the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation out of the Somers station, according to Halston Media.
Once in the woods, police said Guamani Orbes restricted his ex's breathing by applying pressure to her neck, threatened to kill her, and prevented her from leaving the area. The victim managed to escape and flagged down a passing driver, who helped her get to safety, per the same account.
Charges Span Felonies and Misdemeanors
Guamani Orbes was charged with third-degree robbery, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, attempted third-degree assault, third-degree menacing, third-degree criminal mischief, and fourth-degree grand larceny, the report states. Third-degree robbery under New York Penal Law § 160.05 is a Class D felony carrying up to seven years in state prison, according to the Cody Warner Criminal Defense firm.
First-degree unlawful imprisonment under Penal Law § 135.10 is a Class E felony with a statutory maximum of four years in prison, per the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The obstruction-of-breathing charge stems from Penal Law § 121.11, enacted in November 2010 specifically to criminalize non-fatal choking and strangulation in domestic disputes; it is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, according to the Law Office of Matthew Galluzzo.
Released on His Own Recognizance
Guamani Orbes was arraigned in Somers Town Court and released on his own recognizance, despite the felony counts against him. Under New York Criminal Procedure Law § 510.10, judges are generally required to release defendants on their own recognizance or under non-monetary conditions for non-qualifying offenses, which include certain non-violent Class D and Class E felonies, according to the New York State Senate. He is due back in court on August 24 at 5:30 p.m.
The Somers station falls under Troop K's Zone 3, which oversees state police operations across northern Westchester County. The Muscoot Reservoir, near where the alleged attack took place, spans 1,263 acres with 30.5 miles of shoreline and is part of New York City's Croton Watershed system, an isolated stretch of forest and water that stretches across the northern part of the county.
Local Resources for Domestic Violence Survivors
Westchester County operates dedicated domestic violence resources, including the Westchester County Office for Women and the Westchester County Family Justice Center, which offer confidential hotlines and victim advocacy for survivors of intimate partner violence. This case follows other recent Westchester County prosecutions involving choking and unlawful imprisonment; in April, a Westchester County Court sentenced a Mount Vernon EMT to state prison for trapping and choking his partner. Just days before the Somers arrest, Hoodline also reported on a Yonkers man facing 27 counts for allegedly luring two women from Europe to White Plains under similarly serious unlawful imprisonment and obstruction-of-breathing charges.
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