Brewster Man Sentenced on Child Sex Abuse Charges

A former school bus driver from Brewster was sentenced July 22 to 14 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision for two counts of felony child sex abuse, according to the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office.

“The sexual abuse of an innocent child is a truly abhorrent crime, and this sentence will ensure Michael Cunningham does not have an opportunity to victimize any other families,” said District Attorney Adam Levy in a prepared statement. “The child and her family should be commended for their bravery in working closely with us and seeing the prosecution through.”

Michael Cunningham, 68, was arrested in July 2014 following an investigation into the sexual abuse of a child.

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Here’s the rest of the statement from the DA’s Office:

He was convicted on two counts of Sexual Abuse in the first degree following a Jury trial in May and sentenced by Putnam County Supreme Court Judge James Rooney.

“This was a man we trusted, we opened our hearts, opened our home to him. We cared about him, and he hurt us in the worst possible way,” the child’s tearful mother said after sentencing. “No child, no family, should go through what we went through…Danielle (Pascale) and LuLu (Gonzalez) and the CAC (Child Advocacy Center) worked so hard and helped us. Very hard. Now he’s going to be in jail for a very long time and we don’t have to see him anymore. Never.”

Prosecutors argued Cunningham worked to gain a position of trust with the child’s parents over a period of time, eventually offering to babysit. The jury’s guilty verdict was unanimous. ADA Danielle Pascale asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence because Cunningham groomed and manipulated the child before abusing her.

“The sexual abuse of an innocent child is a truly abhorrent crime, and this sentence will ensure Michael Cunningham does not have an opportunity to victimize any other families,” District Attorney Adam Levy said. “The child and her family should be commended for their bravery in working closely with us and seeing the prosecution through.”

Levy also praised Assistant District Attorney Danielle Pascale, Special Crimes Investigator Lourdes Gonzalez and Investigator John Alfano of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department for their impeccable work in building a strong case, while ensuring the child and the child’s family were not further traumatized. Levy also commended the staff at the Child Advocacy Center, who ensured the family received the services and counseling needed to begin recovery, and for accompanying the family throughout the trial.

Although Cunningham worked for a time as a bus driver in the Katonah-Lewisboro and Brewster School Districts before retiring in 2004, this case is unrelated to that work. Parents whose children may have had contact with Cunningham are encouraged to contact Assistant District Attorney Danielle Pascale at 845-808-1050.

PHOTO: Michael Cunningham/Putnam County DA’s Office