Murray man sentenced to 4 years in prison for sex act with 16-year-old

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 January 2018 at 11:01 am

ALBION – A Murray man was given the maximum of four years in state prison for first-degree attempted sex abuse.

Joseph Quarella, 41, was living at Skyline Circle in Murray when he allegedly subjected a 16-year-old girl to the crime, which occurred in November 2016.

He pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, when he admitted to forcibly touching the victim’s private parts.

Quarella is a second felony offender and already has served a sentence in state prison for second-degree assault in Cayuga County in 2005.

In court on Monday he said the girl, 16, was a “problem child” who would cut herself. He started “sexting” with her, sending sexually explicit messages, thinking it would make her feel better.

Sara Sheldon, the interim County Court judge, told Quarella he is the adult who took advantage of the victim, giving her drugs and alcohol.

In addition to four years in prison, Quarella will face 10 years of post-release supervision and will be a registered sex offender.

He also has to pay a $1,000 sex offender victim fee, $375 court surcharge and $50 sex offender registration fee.

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