CHEEKTOWAGA
Man, 70, faces charges in sex assaults
The 70-year-old Cheektowaga man accused of forced sexual encounters with three juveniles befriended the boys’ families and gained access to them by earning their trust over time, Cheektowaga detectives said Friday.
That scenario, law enforcement officials emphasize, is more common than a stranger sexually abusing a child.
Cheektowaga police charged Dennis Doherty, of Edgebrook Estates, with predatory sexual assault on a child, a Class A felony. If found guilty, he could face a minimum of 10 years to
life in prison and a maximum of 25 years to life, authorities said.
Doherty also was charged with forcible touching, endangering the welfare of a child and three counts of criminal sexual act, according to Cheektowaga police reports.
Investigators say that Doherty befriended two families, one with a 15-year-old boy, the other with 12-and 14-year-old boys. At least one of those families lived in his neighborhood. “He created a sense of trust with these families,” Cheektowaga police Capt. David Zack said. “They came to the point that they felt comfortable leaving him with their children.”
Detectives accused Doherty of giving the boys gifts and money, watching pornographic movies with them and sexually abusing the boys. Detectives believe these incidents occurred over at least a two-year period.
“This is normally the cycle of these cases,” Zack pointed out. “It starts with the perpetrator or predator befriending the child and developing a sense of trust with the family, so he can get alone time with the child.”
Law enforcement officials said Doherty was arrested on a sodomy charge in 1996, but he pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.
Police say Doherty admitted to the allegations.
Detectives suspect more possible victims in this case. Anyone with any information is asked to call Zack at 686-3544.
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