A Columbia County man was arrested and charged with multiple misdemeanors after allegedly groping two women in Kinderhook and Valatie.
James D. Konderwich, 21, of Hudson, was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching, and endangering the welfare of a child, all class A misdemeanors.
State police were called to the Hannaford supermarket in the town of Kinderhook and the Cumberland Farms store in Valatie after receiving reports of a man, suspected to be Konderwich, forcibly touching women.
Police said Konderwich grabbed two women for sexual purposes.
One of the victims was a minor, police said in a press release. Troop K Public Information Officer Aaron Hicks declined to comment on the age of the minor due to the possibility of identifying her.
Second-degree sexual abuse is defined in New York as when someone is subjecting another person to sexual contact when they are unable to consent for a reason other than being under 17 years old, or when they are under the age of 14, according to state penal law.
The incident was reported by one of the victims, as well as the stores where they allegedly happened, Hicks said.
“The store was very alert to it, and reported it,” he said. “The victim who was groped called (police) immediately.”
Konderwich was not under investigation prior to this incident, Hicks said.
Konderwich was given an appearance ticket to appear in Kinderhook Town Court on May 28 at 6 p.m.
The maximum prison sentence for a class A misdemeanor is one year, according to New York penal law.
Police are working to identify other potential victims of similar incidents carried out by Konderwich. Any potential victims are asked to contact investigators at State Police barracks in Livingston at 845-677-7300.