Crime & Safety
Croton Martial Arts Instructor to be Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Girls
Now that a jury has found the owner of a Croton martial arts studio guilty, he now faces up to seven years in state prison.
UPDATE 12:30pm: DeMaria has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Croton-on-Hudson martial arts instructor Frank DeMaria's trial is now in the sentencing phase. The 68-year-old Ossining man could spend as many as seven years in prison.
The internationally known martial arts instructor owned a studio in Croton. Prosecutors say DeMaria abused young girls at the studio between November 2009 and January 2011. The victims claim that DeMaria told them to grab his penis and to squeeze and pull it repeatedly. DeMaria denied the accusation— saying he told students to slap and kick attackers' groins—not to fondle him.
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DeMaria is a retired Westchester County Police officer. He was convicted of three counts of second-degree "course of sexual conduct against a child," two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, felonies, and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.
DeMaria was arrested Jan. 14 and the martial arts studio is no longer open.
Find out what's happening in Ossining-Croton-On-Hudsonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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