Orange County Man Accused Of Faking Illness To Get Out Of Court

GOSHEN, NY — An Orange County man was accused of filing fake documents related to a domestic violence court case.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Thursday the arrest and charging of Sean Doyle, 38, of Goshen, in connection with the filing of false documents in Orange County Court.

The documents were designed to excuse his failure to appear in court for a conference on a domestic violence case involving his then-wife Blaise Gomez, a News 12 reporter, prosecutors said.

Doyle was charged with second-degree forgery, Hoovler's office said.

He was arraigned Wednesday and ordered held in jail in lieu of posting bail or bond, pending further proceedings in the Goshen Village Court.

Prosecutors said Doyle was previously charged in Orange County Court with various offenses, including strangulation, assault and criminal mischief from his attack on Gomez.

Several days after Doyle failed to appear in court for a scheduled conference on April 30, his attorney submitted a letter to the court supposedly from a physician at the Syracuse Veterans' Administration Hospital stating that Doyle has tested positive for the coronavirus and was unable to appear in court on that date, authorities said.

An investigation found that the letter was not prepared by a physician but by Doyle and another person, police said.

Doyle was, in reality, vacationing in Florida when he was supposed to be in court, according to prosecutors.

Hoovler said that the court system is designed to, and does, operate efficiently, but in order for that to happen, the system has to have accurate information.

"When people provide the courts with false information that delays the adjudication of cases," he said, "every litigant suffers from that delay."

Hoovler said it was especially egregious when those before the courts falsely using the pandemic as an excuse.

"We will continue to be vigilant in seeking out those who provide false information to authorities, and to prosecute wherever it is appropriate to do so," he said.

Doyle was arrested March 18, 2019, after Gomez accused him of assaulting her and placing his hands around her neck.

He pleaded guilty May 10 to first-degree coercion, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Under the terms of the plea bargain, the DA's office said at the time it would recommend Doyle be sentenced to one and one-third to four years in prison when he's sentenced Sept. 9.

When the plea deal was announced, Gomez said she came forward and allowed herself to be identified because she believes it was important for those subjected to domestic abuse to know what help is available to them.