A 70-year-old Chestnut Ridge man was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in state prison after pleading guilty to repeatedly sexually abusing a girl younger than 13, in a case involving abuse from June 20, 2019, through February 2020. Thomas Kelly will also serve 10 years of post-release supervision once he leaves prison, according to officials.
According to the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, Kelly pleaded guilty on July 9, 2026, to Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony under New York Penal Law Section 130.75(1)(b). Prosecutors said that beginning in the summer of 2019, Kelly subjected a female child under the age of 13 to continuous sexual abuse in the Village of Chestnut Ridge, abuse that the district attorney's office said included sexual intercourse.
District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II said Kelly abused a position of trust and subjected the child to repeated sexual acts, per the district attorney's release. The sentencing took place in Rockland County Court, presided over by Judge Kevin F. Russo. The district attorney's office said it had advocated for a strict sentence and reaffirmed its commitment to seeking justice for victims of sexual assault.
Sentencing Took Place as Scheduled
The district attorney's office release stated that Kelly would be sentenced on October 7, 2026, to 12 years in state prison with 10 years of post-release supervision. Daily Voice reported that he was sentenced in Rockland County Court on that date to the same term.
Beyond the prison term, Kelly is subject to a full stay-away order of protection, Daily Voice reported. He will also be required to register as a sex offender before he is released from custody, the outlet noted. The same report states that the victim addressed Kelly directly in court during Wednesday's sentencing, though the substance of that statement was not made public.
How the Case Came Together
The investigation was conducted by the Ramapo Police Department with assistance from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office Special Victims Unit, according to the station's report. Division Chief Joseph Barca and Executive Assistant District Attorney Emily McNiff prosecuted the case, per the district attorney's release.
New York's penal code classifies Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree as a Class B felony, according to a 2015 codification on law.justia.com. Separately, a jury-instruction document from the New York State Unified Court System describes the underlying statute as applying to abuse occurring over a period of not less than three months, underscoring the sustained nature of the conduct the charge is meant to address.
The Rockland County District Attorney's Office can be reached at (845) 638-5001 or by fax at (845) 638-5298, with its offices located at 1 South Main Street, Suite 500, in New City.
