She Called Friend To Help Dig Car Out Of Mud, He Sexually Abused Her

KINGSTON, NY — A New Paltz man who pretended to be a knight in shining armor turned out to be an abusive predator.

The Ulster County District Attorney said that 45-year-old Alixandro Peraza Varela was sentenced in Ulster County Court last week to the maximum of seven years in state prison with ten years of post-release supervision by Honorable Bryan E. Rounds for his conviction for violent felony first degree sexual abuse. He was also sentenced to one year for his misdemeanor unlawful imprisonment conviction.

Varela will also be required to register with the New York State Sex Offender Registry.

He was convicted on July 19, of the crimes after a five-day jury trial.

According to court documents, on February 24, 2023, Varela sexually assaulted a woman in her vehicle in the Town of Gardiner. She had called Varela, a family friend, for help when her vehicle became stuck in mud. Once they dislodged her vehicle, Varela declined the victim’s offer to pay and suggested, instead, to be paid in another way.

He forcibly grabbed the woman’s vagina with his hand, while licking his lips and restraining her from leaving, according to the district attorney. Immediately after the assault, the woman called and reported it to her husband who consoled her and helped her get immediate medical attention at a hospital for her injuries.

The New York State Police at Highland conducted an investigation of the sexual assault.

The trial required the use of court-certified interpreters for the woman and a few witnesses.

At sentencing, the woman provided an impact statement detailing the tremendous physical and psychological trauma and financial costs that have impacted her family since the assault.

"I thank the Court for recognizing and considering the trauma caused by the defendant to the victim and her family in imposing the maximum sentence allowable under the law," said Senior Assistant District Attorney Luba Reznikova, who also serves as the Director of the Ulster County Intimate Partner Violence Intervention Task Force. "Unfortunately, the financial and psychological burdens of sexual assault are all too common for the victims of these heinous crimes, and no sentence can return this victim to who she was before the assault."

District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji said that the outcome was thanks to significant sacrifice and contributions from all quarters.

"I commend the victim for her bravery in reporting the assault and testifying in the trial; same goes for her husband," Nneji said. "I am proud of the work done by the ADAs in front of the jury to vindicate the dignity of the victim."