Sheriff: Ex-trainer of a NY prosecutor raped girl, 12

Shawn Cohen and Marcela Rojas, The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News | USATODAY

SOUTHEAST, N.Y. -- The former live-in personal trainer of the Putnam County, N.Y., district attorney -- who has made child abuse cases a top priority for his office -- has been charged with "forcibly and violently" raping a 12-year-old girl twice, authorities said Thursday.

Alexandru Hossu, 35, an illegal immigrant from Romania, was arrested Wednesday night and arraigned in Patterson Justice Court on two counts of first-degree rape, a class B felony.

Hossu lived in District Attorney Adam Levy's home in Southeast, N.Y., until about six months ago, Levy's office said.

Southeast is 13 miles west of Danbury, Conn., and about 60 miles north of New York City.

Levy, 44, is the son of Judy Sheindlin, TV's Judge Judy. He was elected in 2007 after he ran unopposed.

The criminal complaint says Hossu forcibly raped the child twice between 7 and 10 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2010, when she was 12.

"(Hossu) did place his hand on the victim's neck and squeeze, then pulled her down onto the bed," stated the felony complaint from the Putnam Sheriff's Office. "The defendant did forcibly engage in sexual intercourse without the victim's implied consent."

The case came to the attention of authorities recently, after the victim reported the alleged rape to a school counselor, the Putnam Sheriff's Office said. The victim, who is now 15, and Hossu "reportedly knew each other," the office stated.

"This was a vicious crime committed against a little girl," said Sheriff Donald B. Smith.

The alleged rape occurred in Southeast, but not at Levy's home, his office said, adding that his 15-year-old daughter was not the victim.

Levy did not immediately respond to questions about whether he knew Hossu was an illegal immigrant.

When elected, Levy said his top priorities for Putnam were the prosecution of drunken drivers and cases involving child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence.

Hossu is being held on $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond at the Putnam County Jail in Carmel, N.Y. He's due in Southeast town court on April 2.

Hossu, a Romanian national, is in the country illegally. He entered the country on a temporary work visa that expired about 12 years ago. A federal detainer has been placed on him, which could lead to deportation proceedings.

He reportedly has been working in Putnam as a personal fitness trainer for several years, the sheriff's office stated.

A receptionist at World Gym in Pawling, N.Y., in Duchess County, confirmed that Hossu had worked there as a personal trainer, but had been fired Wednesday or Thursday.

The Westchester District Attorney's Office will prosecute the case in Putnam.

Levy "requested that the Westchester county district attorney's office handle this case owing to the fact that Mr. Levy knew the person arrested. Beyond that, we have no further comment," said Laurie Mainey, Levy's administrative assistant.

Reaction from officials in Putnam, where many consider politics a blood sport, was muted Thursday.

County Executive MaryEllen Odell and the sheriff did not return messages for comment Thursday.

Victor Grossman, a longtime lawyer in Carmel, called the charges shocking.

"I don't know any of the factual allegations. We have to let the facts come out. That is all I can say," said Grossman, the county's Democratic Party chairman, who emphasized he was speaking only as a local attorney. "I trust the victim is safe and we have to see where the facts take this case."

Contributing: Barbara Livingston Nackman, The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News