Hudson Valley Gym Coach Indicted Over Sex-Abuse Allegations

SUFFERN, NY — Longtime gymnastics coach Joseph Lewin has been indicted on charges that he sexually abused children who were his students, prosecutors announced Tuesday morning.

Lewin, whose legal name is Joseph Lewandoski, faces seven felony charges:

• Three counts of Course of Sexual Conduct against a Child in the Second Degree, class“D” Violent Felonies
• Five counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, class “D” Felonies

He was initially charged with five counts of second-degree sexual conduct against a child and first-degree sexual abuse, all felonies.

Over a 7-year period, beginning in about 2007 and continuing until 2014, while working as a gymnastics coach at several athletic facilities in Rockland County, Lewin engaged in sexual contact with at least seven underage victims, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said in the indictment announcement.

“The defendant preyed upon children entrusted to his care and destroyed their innocence to satisfy his own sexual desires,” Zugibe said. “The courage shown by these victims and their families to come forward will surely save additional young women from becoming future victims.”

Lewin, 67, lives in Port Chester and owns gyms in Suffern and Hillburn. Lewin's former places of business were The Gym (A.k.a. Joe's Gym), which had been located at 143 Rt. 59 in Hillburn, and The Gym which had been located at 7-11 Suffern Place in Suffern. Both of these gyms are no longer in business.

Lewin's next court appearance will be on Aug. 14. He faces a maximum of seven years in state prison on the top count of the indictment, prosecutors said.

Lewin pleaded not guilty. Judge David Zuckerman set bail at $10,000 and had Lewin sign orders of protection on behalf of five of the victims, The Journal News reported.

The investigation began in the spring after someone talked to police about Lewin, Ramapo police said. That came on the heels of the trial of Larry Nassar, a once-prominent physician (and now convicted pedophile) who treated some of America's top gymnasts.

Police and prosecutors are concerned about the possibility of more victims. Anyone with any information about this case is urged to call Ramapo police at 845-357-2400 or the DA's Special Victims Unit at 845-638-5001.

Supervising Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Parietti of the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit is prosecuting the case.

SEE: Coach Accused Of Sex Abuse