This is an article from The Wave Newspaper about his arrest.
Victor Re Arrested
By The Wave | on April 01, 2000
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Victor Re Arrested
Accused Categorically Denies Charges
Rockaway attorney Victor Re was arrested Wednesday morning for allegedly sexually abusing a 28 year old woman in his law office at 257 Beach 116 Street in Rockaway Park on January 24. Re was arrested yesterday at his Belle Harbor home and charged with first degree sexual abuse by detectives of the 100 Precinct that have been conducting a two month long investigation into the victim's allegations. However, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown's office have decided to prosecute Re on the charges of sexual abuse 3 and harassment 3.
Brian Sullivan, Re's attorney, told The Wave, "Mr. Re categorically denies any impropriety occurred." Sullivan said Re did not believe a newspaper was the proper forum to address these "false charges."
Re, a well known figure in the Rockaway community, stands accused of fondling and kissing a legal client of his against her will. According to police reports, Re allegedly grabbed and fondled his victim, holding her hands down and pinning her to the ground, before she was able to free herself. The woman, who is alleging the sexual attack, and whose name is being withheld by police, reported the incident five days after it happened. Detectives from the 100 Precinct began their investigation on January 29. After two months of studying and investigating the victim's charges, local police detectives charged Re with first degree sexual abuse.
According to Captain Gary Scirica, the police base their charges on the Penal Law as it is written, while the district attorney's office goes by what they think they can prosecute with the information. Scirica said that the Re case is not unusual; that the district attorney's office prosecutes on lesser charges on a lot of arrests.
A spokesperson for the Queens D.A.'s office told The Wave Thursday that the decision to go with the misdemeanor charges was the "right way to go with this case."
After a Newsday article appeared on the stands Thursday morning, The Wave received several phone calls from women who allege to have been groped, fondled, hugged, or kissed against their will by Re in the past and from women who allege to have witnessed Re in the act of sexually harassing other women. One woman told The Wave that she witnessed Re chasing a girl out to the parking lot of a local restaurant begging, her for a kiss and prohibiting her from gaining entry into her car. "I was having lunch with a friend," said the woman, "and I told her to watch this guy, he's after that girl. I've seen him do this so many times in the past."
A 22 year old woman who works in the community told The Wave that Re has been harassing her and her friend since they were 16. "He's really disgusting," she said. "I don't know what it is going to take to get this guy to stop. It's not like it hasn't happened in the past. He'll try to pass you and he'll rub up against you and make you think it was a mistake. If the D.A. really wanted to pursue Re, all they would have to do is take an ad out in The Wave, asking 'If you have been harassed by Victor Re, call this number.' You wouldn't believe how many phone calls you would get."
Another young woman who works in the community told The Wave that several years ago Re grabbed her breast while she was working at a local business office. "He told me it was an accident and I told him that an accident like that better never happen again." read more
