New York State Police have arrested a 17-year-old boy for multiple sex crimes, including rape. Multiple sources tell 7 Eyewitness News the boy is a former student of Canisius High School. 7 Eyewitness News has not identified the boy by name because he is a minor.
The teenager was arrested Tuesday night, at the New York State Police barracks in Niagara Falls.
BREAKING UPDATE: Now learning the 17-year-old is being charged with rape, after "forcible sexual contact" with teenage girls. https://t.co/24brf8Xl46 @WKBW
— Ed Drantch (@EdDrantch) November 7, 2018
State police say, in September, investigators started looking into reports that the boy had forcible sexual contact with multiple 15 and 16-year-old girls. The reports came in through New York State's Department of Social Services Child Abuse Hotline.
According to a police source, the teenager was arraigned in Town of Lewiston Court. The teenager was released on $5,000 cash bail.
The teenager is facing charges of Rape in the first and third degree, two counts of sex abuse in the first degree (forcible compulsion and physically helpless) and sex abuse in the second degree.
The attorney for the teen issued this statement:
“Our client is a minor eligible for confidential ‘youth’ status because he is only a teenager. Last night, we appeared in Lewiston Town Court to enter a plea of ‘not guilty’ because he is ‘not guilty.’ We look forward to receiving the alleged evidence from the prosecution, investigating and examining the allegations, and contesting each and every charge in Court.” – Nicholas A. Romano, Esq., Connors LLP.
The teenager's name has not been released because of his age.
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