Case ID: ad3d_149/html/0446-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v John Etheridge, True Name John Etheredge, Appellant.
    [49 NYS3d 625]
   Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Neil E. Ross, J.), entered May 11, 2015, which adjudicated defendant a level two sexually violent offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act (Correction Law art 6-C), unanimously affirmed, without costs.

The court providently exercised its discretion when it declined to grant a downward departure (see People v Gillotti, 23 NY3d 841 [2014]). Defendant’s long period of law abiding conduct after being released from custody was outweighed by the seriousness of the underlying crime, in which defendant repeatedly raped a young child over a period of months. Even if defendant’s clean record for a period of years made him significantly less likely to reoffend, the magnitude of harm that would result if he did reoffend establishes a valid reason for denial of a downward departure (see People v Cabrera, 91 AD3d 479 [2012], lv denied 19 NY3d 801 [2012]).

The remaining mitigating factors cited by defendant were adequately taken into account by the risk assessment instrument, or were outweighed by the seriousness of the underlying sex offense.

Concur — Renwick, J.R, Mazzarelli, Manzanet-Daniels, Feinman and Webber, JJ.