Prison for Man who Smashed Wife's Laptop

NEW CITY, NY — Nicholas Clark of Chestnut Ridge was sentenced today to an indeterminate term of one and a third years to four years in state prison on his September conviction of felony criminal mischief.

“This case is another example of how we are working to break the cycle of violence that affects so many families in Rockland County," said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe in his announcement. "The lengthy prison term imposed is warranted and just.”

At 12:40 a.m. Jan. 22, 2014, the 33-year-old destroyed his wife’s laptop after she confronted him about disturbing photographs found on his cell phone, Zugibe said.

According to testimony at the trial, she had found a photograph that the defendant had taken of a friend from behind while she was at an ATM machine withdrawing money. The friend did not know she was being photographed and did not consent to the photo being taken. Additionally, she found a photograph of his father's girlfriend in a bikini with her head cropped out as well as several celebrity red-carpet wardrobe malfunction photos showing the exposed breasts of female celebrities. According to prosecutors, she also discovered that Clark was following numerous underage girls on Instagram.

He reacted violently, head-butting and verbally assaulting his wife, before smashing and destroying the computer.

According to the charges, Clark fled their condominium in Valley Cottage, New York. She called 911.

The defendant was convicted on Sept. 26 after jurors found him guilty of the top count presented to them.

Senior Assistant District Attorney John W. McGowan prosecuted the case.