Newburgh Man Assaulted, Imprisoned Woman, Jury Says

NEWBURGH, NY — A Newburgh man was convicted by a jury of punching a woman in the face and preventing her from leaving his apartment.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said Brian Powell, 50, of Newburgh, was found guilty Friday, following a three-day trial, of third-degree assault and second-degree unlawful imprisonment.

He faces up to one year in the Orange County Jail on each count when he is sentenced Jan. 26.

Powell was sent to jail without bail after the jury reached its verdict.

Prosecutors said, on Jan. 7, a female victim accompanied an acquaintance to an apartment in the city of Middletown.

Powell and other people whom the victim didn’t know were in the apartment.

When the victim’s acquaintance left the apartment, Powell began to assault the victim by repeatedly punching her in the face, causing significant bleeding and physical injury.

The woman was terrified and tried to get out of the second-story apartment by jumping through a window, but Powell told her that she could not leave.

Prosecutors said the woman was then able to defend herself by grabbing a knife from the kitchen and stabbing Powell who finally stopped assaulting her.

Another person who lived in the apartment called the police who responded and rendered medical attention to the woman and Powell.

After an investigation, Powell was arrested by members of the City of Middletown Police Department.

Hoovler said, if it weren’t for the woman’s bravery on the night of the assault and by testifying in court, a violent offender might not have been held accountable.

“No one deserves to be attacked without provocation and, thankfully, the victim was able to recover from the injuries she sustained as a result of the defendant’s actions,” he said.