New York Teacher's Aide Gets Jail

(New Windsor, New York) In June 2007, a teacher's aide, Maria E. Zurita, and a teacher, Rebecca L. Becker, at McQuade Children's Services in New Windsor were charged with sex crimes after an alleged Memorial Day weekend of sexual encounters with two 16-year-old male students. An investigation was launched when the two boys failed to return to the school after the weekend.

Both Becker and Zunita were booked on counts of rape and child endangerment. Becker pleaded guilty in September 2007. She will be sentenced on May 21.

This week, after being convicted by a jury, 29-year-old Maria Zurita was sentenced by Judge Nicholas DeRosa to one year in the Orange County Jail. And, despite Zurita begging the judge for one more chance,

DeRosa sentenced Zurita to the maximum requested by prosecutors for her conviction on a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child: A year in the Orange County Jail. That works out to eight months with time off for good behavior.

Zurita, 29, will have to surrender on Monday. Prosecutors consented to the delay because her lawyer, former Rockland County District Attorney Ken Gribetz, is likely to convince a state appellate judge to put the sentence on hold while Zurita appeals.

DeRosa imposed the sentence requested by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Milza, who said that Zurita "repeatedly, blatantly lied to the grand jury about the events of that weekend."

The rape charge against Zurita was dismissed because the victim, a troubled youth, failed to show up at trial.


[Update 05/21/08]

Becker sentenced.