Today, on July 19, 2021, acting Schenectady County Judge Mark J. Caruso found Tahir Christie (DOB: 1/30/2002), guilty of one count of Rape in the First Degree (B Violent Felony), one count of Rape in the Third Degree (E Felony) and one count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree (Class A Misdemeanor). Judge Caruso delivered his verdict after Mr. Christie elected to waive his right to a jury trial asking the Judge to preside over a bench trial. The trial began on July 14, 2021, and concluded today at 2:00 p.m. when Judge Caruso returned his verdict.
Mr. Christie, a 19-year-old resident of Schenectady, was convicted of raping, a then 18-year-old female, well known to him on or about August 12, 2020, in a vehicle, on the property of Craig Elementary School in the Town of Niskayuna. Mr. Christie and the victim went to that location at night to talk and stargaze. Once, there Mr. Christie physically overwhelmed the victim and engaged in sexual intercourse with her without her consent. After the rape Mr. Christie made apologetic admissions to the victim and another individual through messaging apps.
The victim disclosed the rape on September 26, 2020, to a family member who subsequently brought the victim to the Niskayuna Police Department. The case was investigated by Det. Mark Florell of the Niskayuna Police Department. The victim’s recitation of the rape was corroborated by phone messages
located both on her phone and Mr. Christie’s phone. The messages were recovered from the victim’s phone with the assistance of Lt. Michael McLaughlin of the Schenectady Police Department. The messages from Mr. Christie’s phone were recovered based upon the work of the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
Mr. Christie faces a minimum of 5 years in prison and a maximum 25 years in prison based upon the convictions. Additionally, he faces the potential of 20 years of parole upon the completion of his prison term. Mr. Christie will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The People will request a full order of protection for the victim for the maximum period allowed by law at sentencing.
The case tried by Assistant District Attorney John J. Carson on behalf of the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. Mark Juda represented Mr. Christie. Acting Schenectady County Court Judge Mark J. Caruso presided over the trial. District Attorney Robert M. Carney stated: “After raping her, this defendant who was her former friend, sent her texts apologizing for what he had done. Every defendant has a right to testify on his own behalf, but Mr. Christie did himself no favors in his testimony by both denying the rape and denying that the texts were apologies for his behavior, distorting their obvious meaning with non-sensical claims. In doing so he twice victimized this brave woman who had the fortitude to tell Judge Caruso what happened to her.”
For further information, contact Assistant District Attorney John Carson at (518)810-7365.