Trainer's rape arrest sparks Putnam Co. feud

SOUTHEAST, N.Y. -- Last week's arrest of District Attorney Adam Levy's personal trainer for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl has sparked a feud between Putnam County's top law enforcement officials, with Sheriff Donald Smith accusing Levy, the son of TV's "Judge Judy," of attempting to interfere with the investigation.

Within hours after Levy issued a news release on Friday, saying he had initiated the request for an independent prosecutor to investigate the allegations against 35-year-old Alexandru Hossu -- a Romanian national who has been in the country illegally for a dozen years -- Smith responded with his own statement, disputing the prosecutor's version of events.

The sheriff then upped the ante by asking federal officials to determine whether Hossu, who he said was Levy's live-in personal trainer, "may have been shielded, aided or abetted" in avoiding detection by immigration officials before or after the sexual assault, which allegedly occurred in Southeast in October 2010.

"In my view, Mr. Levy's comments and actions would seem to suggest that if he could have his way, Mr. Hossu would never have been brought to justice for his crime and Mr. Levy's relationship with him would never have been brought to the light of public scrutiny," Smith said.

Attempts to contact Levy at home by telephone on Sunday were unsuccessful, but in an interview with The Journal-News on Friday, he denied knowing that Hossu was in the country illegally.

Hossu was arrested Wednesday as the result of an investigation by the sheriff's office, the Putnam County Child Advocacy Center and the Westchester County District Attorney that began after the victim, now 15, told a school counselor. At the time, Smith said only that an unspecified conflict precluded Levy's office from involvement in the case.

Levy then issued a statement contradicting some of the information in the sheriff's report, including the Indian Wells address in Southeast listed as Hossu's residence. The address is the same as the Levy home.

The district attorney said that upon learning Hossu, "who my family had known for years" was the target, he immediately contacted the sex crimes unit of the Westchester County prosecutor's office and asked them to take over the case.

But Smith said that once the suspect's relationship to Levy was confirmed, an assistant district attorney working with the investigative team concluded the Putnam County prosecutor's office could no longer be involved and relayed that decision to Levy. Only then did Levy contact Westchester County officials, Smith said.

Smith also said Hossu provided investigators with his residence address, and the information was supported by post office and motor vehicle records, as well as witnesses and other official sources.

Two alternate addresses for Hossu were supplied by Levy, which The Journal News said proved to be the locations of a restaurant and a doctor's office, as well as the place where Hossu was taken into custody.

That address, Smith said, was known only to those actively working on the investigation and "may be seen as further indications of Mr. Levy's ongoing and improper involvement in this case."

Hossu is being held on $50,000 cash bond at the Putnam County Correctional Facility, and federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials have lodged a detainer pending potential immigration proceedings.

jpirro@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342