Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson (D-Rochester/Chili/Henrietta) announced that Governor Cuomo signed into law legislation that will stiffen penalties on repeat child abusers (Ch. 172 of 2013). The need for this law came to the forefront here in New York after the tragic abuse of Western New York infant Jay J. Bolvin, whose abuser was previously convicted of assaulting a child.

“Repeat child abusers should not be able to duck the law and escape justice,” said Assemblymember Bronson. “This law will make certain these repeat abusers are punished for their appalling acts and hopefully prevent other tragic events from happening in the future.”

In 2011, then-infant Jay J. Bolvin from North Towanda, NY, was beaten by his father and left with major injuries. Four years prior to the attack, Jay J.’s father was convicted of assault for beating and breaking the arm of another son. However, the second crime barely eclipsed the three-year window for an aggravated assault charge and therefore it could not be charged.

Under this law, the window for charging an adult with aggravated assault upon a person less than 11 years old will be extended from 3 to 10 years. Aggravated assault is a class E felony, carrying a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison.