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New city resident charged with sexual abuse of child

By Howard B. Owens

A man who reportedly moved to Batavia from Florida just last month was arraigned today on a five-count indictment charging him with sexual abuse in the first degree.

Robert B. Wright was a resident of 42 Clifton Ave. for only two days, according to District Attorney Lawrence Friedman, before he allegedly forced a girl under 11 years old to touch his body parts.

The five-count Grand Jury indictment, which was sealed until his arraignment this morning, accuses Wright in engaging in two different forcible touching acts with the girl. He also allegedly touched her on one occasion.

The first alleged incident was on or about May 21. The second alleged incident was in the late night or early morning of May 21 and May 22.

Judge Robert C. Noonan ordered Wright held without bail.

Wright reportedly has a criminal record in Florida. Friedman said there is a record of a guilty plea to robbery with a weapon charge. There is no record of a sentence on that conviction. There is also a warrant for arrest in Florida and an allegation of a probation violation, but Friedman said he doesn't have information yet on the status of the warrant or the alleged probation violation.

George Richardson

What were you thinking? Dads everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief that you are not their son. I never could understand when my Mother would yell at me about not disgracing my Father and her. I always responded that I am not her, and that what I do is none of her business. Boy, was I an idiot. My kids are a little more intelligent than I was, in that regard, because I learned that lesson through trial and error and they listened to what I told them and why, although child molestation never came into the picture; I hope you are innocent. Kids these days don't listen. Too many kids these days don't have a Dad who cares. How's that for moving on?

Jun 9, 2010, 4:25pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

It just goes to show, not all the "fruits" coming from Florida are good for us. Lock his butt up , throw away the key, and put him in a cell with bubba.

Jun 9, 2010, 5:58pm Permalink
Liz Fuchs

I'm thinking chemical castration. Pedo's can't be cured! and that poor girl will be injured for life! Introduce his sorry butt to bubba the big man on cell block D, bet he will feel what the little girl did! I hope he burns and rot's in hell.

Jun 9, 2010, 7:01pm Permalink
Gary Spencer

First, let's all remember, he's innocent until proven guilty (laughing under my breath).

Secondly, although chemical castration would be entertaining (but not as entertaining as a tight rubber band). Castration does nothing to stop the mental fixation that pedophiles have, it is not only a sexual gratification, but a twisted mental state that cannot be cured.

Jun 9, 2010, 7:12pm Permalink
Liz Fuchs

The chemical castration is to never allow him to be a man that he so obviously is not. The lifetime jail sentence and consistant Butt raping from his cell partner is the appropriate punishment. Yes innocent until proven guilty. But if proven guilty...... Either way, to every lie there is some truth. Something horrific happened here. And that poor little girl is the one who is going to have to live with it.

Jun 9, 2010, 7:44pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

I'm not saying if I think this guy is guilty or not, I don't know and it is someone else's place to figure that out. But there's no mercy from me for pedophiles, the children who have been molested grow up with all kinds of problems ranging from alcoholism and drug addictions to depression and any sociopathic behavior you can think of, some become molesters themselves, their families have to deal with them; and all of it because somebody had a selfish urge and was only thinking of their own pleasure. I'm not into torture or castration or paying for some criminal's keep in prison. 1 9mm bullet center of the forehead, period, done. That'll make the scumbags think about wacking off instead of handling a child.

Jun 9, 2010, 7:58pm Permalink
George Richardson

Some legal adults are still children and they can be helped, if someone cares enough to help them. Not all, it's up to the Judge, but Dave I can relate. Kids need more care and love if the world is going to survive. Don't read religion into this, it's just what I know to be true from 56 years of staying alive and raising two boys. Too many men don't want that burden, that's the real problem.

Jun 9, 2010, 8:34pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

True enough George but when someone has callously used another person especially a child for their own enjoyment not caring that that child's life is effectively ruined, I say they are beyond redemption and need to be culled and put down. I had the benefit of being raised by the real deal, my Dad was a great man and a great father and i have tried to do my best with my children as I was taught, so they will have the same sense of responsibility and value and respect parenthood too. Not everyone has that, it's sad. However let's face reality and not look the other way on pedophiles.

Jun 9, 2010, 8:53pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

I wish I knew the answer to how to deal with pedophiles.
Far to many times when watching or reading the news, you find a story like this, and then find the pedo is a repeat offender. I just feel we can't take chances with our children. The saddest aspect is when they kill their victims to avoid a witness reporting them. I won't even print what my opinion is, but again, the victims live a life sentence of the horror these monsters put them through, mandatory life sentences would be too kind, and too expensive,how about a labotomy.

Jun 9, 2010, 9:57pm Permalink
Jason Murray

dave the cost of that bullet is still too much to waste on people like him. i say a reusable rope from a tree is perfect and i think a poll on which body part to hang him from would be even better

Jun 9, 2010, 10:19pm Permalink
George Richardson

I can agree with the attitudes about pedophiles. But not about snap judgement, even though I am guilty of being Judge, Jury and Executioner way too often in my comments.
Sometimes it turns out I have been talking through my ass and I try to shy away from that, if I can. Sometimes I can't. No killing allowed, either way. "Onward, through the Fog." -Oat Willie
Peace Batavians, if anyone ever deserved it y'all do. Me too, hell yeah, me too.

Jun 9, 2010, 10:52pm Permalink
Lorie Cook

Dave has some really good insight there. There are victims who suffer for decades before ever getting treatment because their family is more worried about saving face than their child's mental stability. Peace to all those who suffer from such sick behavior.

Jun 10, 2010, 1:56am Permalink
Gary Spencer

One good thing I see in this story is that the young victim must have told somebody pretty quickly, all too many times the abuse goes on for years before it is stopped, and all too often if a child does talk they are ignored.
I the article doesn't say anything about bail, I assume he is being held without bail, I only hope he is tried prosecuted and sentenced to the maximum sentence allowed ,before being extradited back to Florida.
I agree with Janice everybody needs to write to our legislators and demand stiffer penalties for pedophiles.

Jun 10, 2010, 7:40am Permalink
Leigh Wolff

The thing I don't understand is why was an 11 year old girl out so late at night or in the early morning without her parents knowing what was going on? I just don't understand the situation of how this was brought about so quickly unless it was someone he was staying with. They need to start being more harsh as far as the law is concerned with pedophiles as well because I don't see why this guy shouldn't do life in prison.

Jun 10, 2010, 12:12pm Permalink
nicole wright

Wow ppl can be cruel! Well i will begin with this is my brother hate to admit it because like many others i think that touching a child is unacceptable. I do not think he is innocent. He should stay behind bars!! I read a comment above were some one says that the child is going to have so many problems drug addiction and might touch a child just because it happened to her and i 100% agree but wht you all should know is our lives have not been peaches and cream if you know what i mean im the strong one my brothers mind is week and if only i could write down our life story you would see why. This is NOT an excuse to touch a child. He was takin away from his mother at only six years old for all the good reason moved from foster home to foster home separated from all tht he knew and loved until one day they found a foster home for him.. things were finally looking good for him.. NOT turns out the foster father was touching him and watching him take baths. Yah life is pretty screw up but what could he do he had already lost every one he ever knew. Who could he turn to? NO ONE not a soul so he bottled it up.
I promised i would take him in when i was 18 and i did when i was 21 but it was to late he was so messed up there was nothing i could do for him he was a good person but i could see through that he lived with me for three months then went to N.Y and did this Sh$% I could not believe it. Well that is the story behind that.So dont be so quick to Judge only god can judge us.

Jul 30, 2010, 9:34am Permalink

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