10 years probation for former police officer who had sex with girl, 16
Adam Mesiti was working as security officer for Holley schools when he committed crime
Adam Mesiti
HOLLEY – A former security guard at Holley Central School was sentenced to 10 years of probation today in Orleans County Court for having sex with a student, a 16-year-old girl, in 2014.
Adam Mesiti, a retired sergeant with the Brockport Police Department, avoided jail time. He will be a registered sex offender.
As part of a plea deal, he could have faced up to six months in the county jail.
Judge Sara Sheldon said Mesiti was living an exemplary life before having sex with the girl. She received numerous letters of support, testifying to his character.
Many of the letters also blamed the victim of the crime. Sheldon took issue with that characterization and said Mesiti and his family have tried to give impression to the community that he is innocent of wrongdoing.
“These people who love you so much don’t believe you did this,” Sheldon told Mesiti during sentencing this afternoon.
She told Mesiti she couldn’t sentence him if he was in fact innocent of the charges – a 60-count indictment including 10 counts of third degree rape, 20 counts of third degree criminal sexual act and 30 counts of sex misconduct. Mesiti on May 22 pleaded guilty to one count of rape.
Sheldon considered holding off on sentencing because she wasn’t certain Mesiti was admitting guilt. When she said the case could go to trial, Mesiti, who admitted in a May court appearance to having sex with the girl, professed several times to committing the crime.
Sheldon said she wanted to make sure Mesiti’s many supporters were clear he did it, and the girl wasn’t lying.
“I did it,” Mesiti said in court. “She didn’t lie.”
The sentencing was complicated today when Mesiti’s attorney, Christian Kennedy, said District Attorney Joe Cardone and his office had threatened Mesiti’s family and pressured Mesiti to take a plea deal.
Cardone objected to the allegations, saying he or his office never put pressure on Mesiti to take a deal.
Sheldon nearly called off sentencing and the plea deal, saying the case should back to the square one.
“This case is under a cloud,” Sheldon said.
But Kennedy apologized, and said he misspoke. He asked that his comments be stricken from the record.
Kennedy also said the victim of the crime is mentally unstable and had threatened suicide last week after an altercation with Mesiti’s family at a local bank. Cardone said the victim did not threaten to take her life.
Mesiti, at times, pleaded with the judge to not delay sentencing. He said the District Attorney’s Office didn’t threaten his family.
“I just want this over,” Mesiti told the judge. “I want to move on with my life.”
Mesiti on May 22 admitted in court that he had sex with a 16-year-old girl on Oct. 22, 2014.
Mesiti was employed by C.O.P. Security, a private firm contracted to provide security services at the Holley School District in 2014 when the alleged incidents took place.
The Holley School District and C.O.P. Security fully cooperated with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office during this month-long investigation, Undersheriff Chris Bourke said when Mesiti’s arrest was announced on March 4.
Cardone said the victim of the crime has been unfairly vilified and blamed on Facebook by many of Mesiti’s supporters.
Many of the letters in support of Mesiti said he was unjustly disgraced and punished. Mesiti told the judge there is more to the case that has been presented. His attorney said the case has been blown up because of the media.
The judge asked Mesiti if he had sex with the girl. He said yes.
She said an ex-cop having sex with a 16-year-old is going to be in the headlines.
One of Mesiti’s supporters said in a letter to the judge he was trying to help the victim, who had a troubled life.
“Why can’t you lend her a helping hand without raping her,” the judge said.
The judge read from more letters of support for Mesiti, and most faulted the victim while extolling Mesiti’s good character.
“I’m nauseous at the fact people are left with the impression the system screwed an innocent man,” Sheldon said. “I don’t want these people to walk out of here and think you got screwed.”
The judge told Mesiti the victim “was a troubled 16-year-old that you took advantage of.” She said Mesiti should have shown restraint.
“I don’t care that she is troubled and provocative,” Sheldon said. “You are the man. You have to walk away.”
Cardone, during sentencing, asked that Mesiti be sentenced to jail, despite his exemplary record with the Brockport Police Department.
“There’s no question in respect to Adam Mesiti that he’s had a good career as a police officer and done many honorable things,” Cardone said.
But the DA said Mesiti took advantage of the girl and harmed her.
The judge decided against sending Mesiti to jail.
Many of the letters of support for Mesiti, including one from Brockport Police Chief Daniel Varrenti, said the allegations were out of Mesiti’s character. Varrenti said he believes Mesiti would never do such a crime again.
The judge approved an order of protection for the victim from Mesiti and his family.
She also ordered Mesiti to pay a $1,000 sex offender victim’s fee, $325 court surcharge, $50 DNA fee, and $50 sex offender registry fee.
Mesiti is scheduled to appear back in court on Oct. 2 to determine his level on the sex offender registry.
