Westchester Business Owner Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Of Employee

OSSINING, NY — Ossining deli owner Patrick Patierno was sentenced Monday to five years in state prison over sexual abuse of an employee.

Patierno also was sentenced to 10 years of post-release supervision. The 54-year-old Yorktown resident will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence.

"Sexual abuse will not be tolerated especially when perpetrated by abusers in a position of authority who exploit their power. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that perpetrators of sexual abuse will be brought to justice and held accountable,” Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah said in the announcement “My office is committed to assisting victims who come forward.”

At 9:30 a.m. Jan. 14, 2021, Patierno, then owner of Villarina's Village Deli, entered the home of the victim, restrained and forcibly subjected her to sexual contact. The Ossining Police Department investigated and arrested Patierno the next day.

After a two-week trial in May, a jury found Patierno guilty of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a felony, and Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree, a misdemeanor.

In a statement submitted to the court, the victim said: “My life is no longer the same … as much as I try to find myself to be who I was before, I can't …. I feel that every person who approaches me, all they want is to hurt me and come to me with bad intentions …. I’m tormented day by day by those thoughts. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I went through because it’s horrible, especially when you’re afraid to speak up.”

The case was tried before Judge Barry Warhit, and sentence was imposed by Judge Susan Cacace, in Westchester County Court. The case was prosecuted by Sex Crimes Bureau Chief Wendy Parra and Assistant District Attorney Marissa Morra-Wynn.