Crime & Safety

Church Van Driver Convicted of Child Sex Abuse

Child's mother witnessed abuse.

A Spring Valley man who was the church bus driver for a South Nyack congregation has been convicted by a Rockland County jury in New City of sexually abusing a young boy in 2011.

Baudilio Ramos, 53, of 9 Johnson St., was found guilty of one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class “D” Felony, one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class “A” Misdemeanor, relating to sexual touching involving the 3-year-old boy who had been left in his care on Sept. 26, 2011.

District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said the victim’s family attended Iglesia La Mision Asamleas de Dios Church in South Nyack and had met the Ramos through the church several years before the incident.

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On the day of the crime, Zugibe said Ramos was driving the church van to help the victim’s mother in a church-related errand. The mother left the child with the Ramos while she handled administrative matters.

When the mother returned to the church van, parked in Clarkstown, she saw Ramos rubbinghis hand up and down over her son’s genitals. She immediately took the boy and left, Zugibe said.

The victim’s parents reported the incident to church officials on the same day of the sexual molestation. The couple contacted Clarkstown Police only after church leaders failed to take action against Ramos, including counseling or removing him from duties, Zugibe said.

During the trial, lawyers for Ramos argued that the victim’s mother fabricated the sexual abuse allegations in order to obtain a temporary visa granted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for victims of certain crimes. Zugibe said evidence presented at trial proved that the boy’s parents had no knowledge of this type of visa. Additionally, the victim is a United States citizen.

Ramos, who ordered held in the Rockland County Correctional Facility in New City after the verdict, faces a maximum of seven years in state prison when sentenced on Nov. 29. Additionally, Ramos will be listed as a sex offender as required by Megan’s Law.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amanda Doty and Assistant District Attorney Darlene DeJesus.

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