Posted on 01/23/2008 5:10:27 AM PST by Puppage
NEW CITY, N.Y. -- A former prosecutor and PTA leader had sex with two boys, shared marijuana and alcohol with other teens and kept it all a secret from her police chief husband, officials said Tuesday.
Beth Modica, 44, a mother of four, was indicted on 35 counts alleging statutory rape, criminal sex acts, sex abuse and endangering children. Wearing an olive-gray suit and handcuffs, she pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Rockland County Court and was ordered held on $75,000 bail.
"These are serious charges, against children in her community," said Judge Catherine Bartlett. The judge issued orders of protection for the two boys involved, whose names were not made public.
District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said Modica had intercourse and oral sex with a 16-year-old boy and oral sex with a 15-year-old boy last summer, and on several occasions served and shared alcohol and marijuana with "many" other teens from Suffern High School at her Sloatsburg home or in her car.
Ramapo police Chief Peter Brower, whose force covers Sloatsburg, said the investigation began Dec. 31, when his department received a complaint in the mail. He would not say who sent it.
Modica was an assistant district attorney in Queens and Rockland in the 1980s and 1990s, and until this month was attorney for the Town of Ramapo and the village of Sloatsburg but was not reappointed to the yearly term. The district attorney, who took office a few weeks ago, said he saw no conflict in his office prosecuting the case.
Zugibe said Modica's husband, Spring Valley police Chief Paul Modica, "was not involved, was unaware and was not present when the alleged acts occurred. ... I have only the greatest respect for Chief Modica." He would not comment on whether the couple's four children, including a son at the high school, were aware of the alleged crimes.
Beth Modica's lawyer, Gerard Damiani, said the couple, who had lived in Sloatsburg, had separated. He said she is living with her mother, who was in court but did not comment.
Modica is a former PTA president at Sloatsburg Elementary School.
Paul Modica's lawyer, John Edwards, said, "Paul's sole interest at this point is protecting his children. ... He's trying to make sure the kids are impacted as little as possible."
If convicted of rape or criminal sex acts, Beth Modica would face 16 months to four years in prison.
Arguing that his client should be freed without bail, Damiani said, "Her character has never been questioned except for these allegations." He said she was in good standing with the state bar association.
Police launched the investigation after a letter was sent to them by a parent encouraging a probe.
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Ugly came to mind first.
>>Beth Modica, 44, a mother of four, was indicted on 35 counts alleging statutory rape, criminal sex acts, sex abuse and endangering children.
>>If convicted of rape or criminal sex acts, Beth Modica would face 16 months to four years in prison.
I’m really hoping the reporter meant 16 months for EACH of the 35 counts. Otherwise that’s like 2 weeks for each count and probably half of that before she gets parole.
Geddy Lee?
She is so guilty as to deserve the death penalty.
She was last seen on the streets of San Francisco looking for their object of her sexual preference in the middle of parade day.
Besides ugly, the evidence is?. . .uh. . .the evidence is. . . hello?. .”police received a letter “encouraging” them to investigate? Husband is police chief. . .they are separated. . .hhmmmmmm.
“A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy”
She’s just a dog.
Starved for sex? I can see why.
Her image is a hate crime against my eyes!
Kind of...
Guilty in the first degree, guilty!
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