This is a copy of an article that appeared in The Saratogian as the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office did not handle the prosecution of this matter. The Saratoga County District Attorney requested the case be moved to a special prosecutor because Oddy’s former defense attorney accepted a position with the Saratoga County DA, and it presented a conflict of interest to the office. Any inquiries regarding the case should be directed to the Schenectady County District Attorney who prosecuted this case. Ballston Spa man sentenced to 14 years for sexually abusing a child Published: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 By CAITLIN MORRIS cmorris@saratogian.com Twitter.com/CMsaratogian BALLSTON SPA — A village man was sentenced Tuesday morning to a determinate 14 years in prison, meaning he cannot be given an early release, with the maximum sentence of 20 years of post-release supervision after being convicted of first-degree criminal sex act, a violent felony, against a child. Richard Oddy, 42, of Frederick Lane in Ballston Spa was arraigned last August on four counts of predatory sexual assault on a child, four counts of first-degree sex abuse, felonies, as well as two counts of third-degree sex abuse and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanors. He pleaded guilty to committing a first-degree criminal sex act on May 7. The courtroom was nearly filled with victims and their families, as well as Oddy’s supporters. People held each other and cried throughout the courtroom procedure. Families of the victims say that while they wish Oddy were locked away for the rest of his life, 14 years is not an insubstantial sentence. He will be 75 years old when his is freed from post-release supervision. Speaking to Judge Jerry Scarano before he was sentenced, Oddy said, “I never meant to hurt anybody,” and “I’m not this monster they’re making me out to be.” One victim who attended the sentencing said she was 10 when the abuse occurred. Her mother said she suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and nightmares. This was the only court proceeding the victim attended, and her mother said she decided to go to seek some closure and see him taken away to prison. The father of several of the victims, who was at Tuesday’s sentencing, said his family decided to accept Oddy’s plea deal to one count rather than put the young victims on the stand. In most plea agreements, the victim is consulted by the district attorney. The Saratoga County District Attorney requested the case be moved to a special prosecutor because Oddy’s former defense attorney accepted a position with the Saratoga County DA, and it presented a conflict of interest to the office. Since Oddy was arrested for his crimes, he was represented by three different defense lawyers. If the trial had moved forward with testimony from the victims, Oddy could have faced a sentence of 100 years to life. Before Oddy was sentenced, the prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lorusso from Schenectady County, read a letter written by the father of several victims. In it, the father expressed that time will heal his children somewhat, but they will never be the same. He asked the judge for the maximum sentence because Oddy will “always be a threat to children.” In addition, he said Oddy had disregarded the orders of protection against his family, and expressed concern that Oddy had followed them into public places such as the Saratoga County Fair. Lorusso added that Oddy has taken no responsibility for his actions and continues to blame the children for what happened. The person who played an vital role in putting Oddy in jail, Lorusso said, is Investigator Herb Hall of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. He was able to glean a solid confession from Oddy, which Oddy later tried unsuccessfully to suppress, and it ultimately put Oddy behind bars. “He was able to get a confession that made life a lot easier for all of these children,” Lorusso said
Oddy gets 14 years for sexually abusing child
