Peekskill Man Charged With Child Rape

The accused allegedly raped a child in the building where he worked as a painter.

On September 13, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah and Peekskill Police Chief Leo Dylewski announced that a man hired to paint homes in Peekskill had been arrested and charged with child rape.

DA Rocah said: “We know how difficult it is for young victims to come forward. The DA’s office stands ready to support victims and their families in any way possible and we thank the Peekskill Police Department for their assistance.”

Boss Dylewski said“The Peekskill City Police Department is committed to protecting our children and will use every resource available to investigate and arrest those who commit these acts.”

The defendant, Anselmo Yambay Pena, 59, of Peekskill, appeared before Judge Reginald Johnson in Peekskill Municipal Court on Sept. 10 on a charge of first-degree rape.

Bail was set at $50,000 cash, $200,000 bond, and $350,000 partially secured at 10%. The District Attorney’s Office asked for the defendant to be held in pretrial detention. The defendant is scheduled to return to court on October 15.

As alleged in the indictment, the defendant raped a child under the age of 13 between February 15 and March 31 at an apartment building in Peekskill where he worked as a painter.

After learning of the incident, the child’s parent reported the matter to the Peekskill police, who investigated and arrested the defendant on September 10.

Anyone who may have been a victim of the defendant or may have information about other possible victims of the defendant may contact the Peekskill Police Department at (914) 737-8000 or the District Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division at (914) 995-3000. Language assistance is available.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Baehr of the Child Abuse Bureau in the Special Prosecutions Division.

The charges against a defendant are merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.