On December 8, 2021, acting Schenectady County Judge Mark J. Caruso sentenced Tahir Christie (DOB: 1/30/2002), to an aggregate prison term of fourteen [14] years, to be followed by twenty [20] years of post-release supervision. Additionally, Judge Caruso issued a full order of protection for the victim for forty-one and a half years [41.5]. Mr. Christie will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Christie was sentenced today after Judge Caruso found him 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), on July 19, 2021. Judge Caruso delivered the verdict because Mr. Christie elected to waive his right to a jury trial and have Judge Caruso act as both the judge and the finder of fact (jury). This practice is commonly referred to as a bench trial and a defendant always has the absolute right to elect a bench trial in lieu of a jury trial.
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 admissions of wrongdoing 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.
The case was tried by ADA John J. Carson on behalf of the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. Mark Juda represented Mr. Christie for trial. Jeffrey Einhorn represented Mr. Christie for sentencing. For further information, contact Assistant District Attorney John Carson at (518) 810-7365.