By Jeremy Walsh
A part−time legal counsel for state Sen. Serphin Maltese (R−Glendale) was arrested last week on suspicion of possessing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney for New York’s Southern District said.
Robert Groezinger, 53, of Patterson, N.Y., was fired by Maltese’s office shortly after the arrest was made public. He was arraigned Oct. 15 in White Plains federal court on charges of possessing and receiving child pornography, the U.S. attorney’s office said. He was released on $100,000 bond.
A hearing was set for Nov. 12. If convicted, Groezinger faces between five and 20 years in prison, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
Maltese’s spokeswoman, Victoria Vattimo, said the senator acted quickly and had no prior knowledge of Groezinger’s alleged conduct.
“He was terminated immediately,” she said. “The senator doesn’t tolerate this at all. He has a strong record against sex offenders.”
The Queens senator is known for taking a tough stance on pedophilia.
In 2006, Maltese introduced legislation that would strengthen the statute against sex offenders who use the Internet to communicate with children, after an ex−lawyer, arrested on suspicion of propositioning a Westchester County police officer posing online as a 14−year−old boy, argued that it is not illegal to seduce minors verbally via e−mail.
Maltese also contributed at least $6,000 in member item funding between 2005 and 2007 to a Long Island−based nonprofit to fight the distribution of pornography over the Internet, state Senate records show.
Groezinger allegedly accessed child pornography via the Internet between December 2007 and January 2008, according to the criminal complaint filed by the U.S. attorney.
Allegedly operating with the username “picluver@yahoo.com,” he frequented a chatroom where a California resident distributed the images to other users, the complaint said.
After tracing the username back to Groezinger, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted a search of his Patterson home, seizing a laptop that contained more than 40 images of child pornography, the complaint said.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e−mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 154.
