Alleged Molester With Link To Rabbi Yehuda Kolko Released On Bail With Full Access To Children
Father warns other parents
Son’s accused molester free on bail, still has access to children
By Michael Orbach • The Jewish StarThe father of a boy allegedly molested at age 6 by a neighbor wants other parents to know: his son’s accused molester is free and still has access to children.
Michael Sabo, 35, a registered nurse from Marine Park, Brooklyn, surrendered to police on May 11th and pleaded not guilty to a single count of sexual abuse and three counts of child endangerment. He is accused of molesting the boy eight years ago. He is currently free on $50,000 bail.
“What bothers me the most is, he’s still out there. He lives down the block from a yeshiva. He’s in the health care field…He might even be upstate as we speak,” said “Joseph,” the father of the boy, who asked that his real name not be printed.
Joseph said that he and his son believe that Sabo has molested other children.
“I’m not doing this to get back at him. I’m doing this to protect other children. Even my son feels [Sabo] has others …I need to know he’s away for a long time so he cannot hurt another child again.”
Sabo recently divorced but reportedly still has access to the house where his young children live with his ex-wife. The family home on Burnett Street is down the block from one yeshiva on Nostrand Avenue and around the corner from another one, Yeshiva Derech HaTorah, which his sons attend. Sabo is often seen on Shabbos mornings at Kingsway Jewish Center. Sabo’s father owns a vacation home at the Clearview Bungalow Colony in Monticello, according to Joseph. A member of the colony confirmed Monday that Sabo was a guest at Clearview for at least one Shabbos this summer, so far.
Joseph discovered the alleged sexual abuse in late April when a third-party brought to his attention nine photos of his son that were discovered online. The pictures, in which the boy was wearing a yarmulke, were several years old and pornographic in nature. Each photo was accompanied by a caption that included the boy’s name and address and a phrase that indicated that the then-six-year-old boy had been molested.
Joseph identified Sabo from the photos, which he said were taken in Sabo’s son’s bedroom.
“In one of the pictures was his watch, it was a silver watch that had links on it. It was a stainless steel silver-ish watch. We noticed other pictures in his son’s bedroom and that’s how I realized it was him,” Joseph said.
“Everyone thought he [Sabo] was the ideal dad. The one that plays ball with the kids, the one that goes camping with them. When people heard, they thought it couldn’t be true. But it is,” Joseph said.
The pictures were posted under the screen name nymale74, which corresponds to Sabo’s birthday, according to public records and his Facebook page.
When Joseph approached his son about the photos his son, now in his early teens, told him that Sabo had molested him repeatedly over the course of two years. “He came home from school that day and didn’t stop talking about it,” said Joseph.
Joseph filed a police report, and then contacted the office of Assemblyman Dov Hikind who recently launched a campaign to combat child abuse in the Jewish community. Hikind’s office declined to confirm details about the case but two sources say Hikind placed Joseph in touch with the District Attorney and Joseph’s son then testified before the grand jury. The charges were filed about a week later.
Joseph said that his son is doing well.
“The therapist basically said that what we did by believing him and trusting what he said, and not doubting, that was 75% of the cure. Bringing him in to testify and knowing that Sabo will get his punishment is a cure for my son.”
In a telephone interview Sabo called himself “a regular guy” with “regular, run-of-the-mill issues.”
“You know more than me apparently,” Sabo told a reporter who asked about the case. “This will pass. It might not be tomorrow. For all I know they could dismiss everything. You never know.”
He hopes to move past the allegations. “I have four beautiful children, who need a father,” Sabo said.
Sabo attended Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn. The school was made infamous when its owner, Lipa Margulies, deflected investigations of a longtime teacher, Yehuda Kolko, who last year pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child endangerment and who is suspected of widespread sexual abuse. Sabo said he could not recall if he had been a victim of sexual abuse by Kolko.
“My therapist says it’s repressed, right now, but I don’t remember,” said Sabo. Most sexual abusers were themselves abused as children, according to psychological literature.
A spokesperson for the Brooklyn District Attorney said the DA would not comment on open cases.
Arthur Gershfeld, Sabo’s lawyer, said that they were “confident” that “the allegations are not going to be supported by the evidence,” and that his client denied the allegations.
A spokesperson for Extended Homecare, where Sabo worked a nurse, said Sabo was no longer employed there.
Family members or friends are the perpetrators in 75-80 percent of all sexual abuse cases, according to Marci Hamilton, a Yeshiva University professor and author of Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect its Children. Hamilton also said that the particulars of this case are becoming more common.
“That predators are on the web and using the web not only for their own [purposes] but to communicate with other pedophiles about the availability of the boy,” explained Hamilton. “This is probably not his first victim. If the media can come out with one child’s accusation it will embolden and strengthen other children” who may have been abused “and then they can come forward.”
Rabbi Mark Dratch, the head of JSafe, an organization that promotes awareness and prevention of sexual abuse inside the Jewish community, said that while inroads against sexual abuse have been made, much more needs to be done.
“We’ve been more successful in publicizing cases against rabbis and teachers, but our community is no different from any others,” Rabbi Dratch said. “Sexual abuse is much more common against family members and neighbors than amongst teachers and rabbis. The case that you have here is the tip of the iceberg.”
Sabo’s next hearing is scheduled for September 10th.
“My son is willing to testify. I made it clear. I don’t want a settlement. I want [Sabo] to be put away as long as possible,” Joseph said, “When those jurors see a twelve year-old on the stand they’ll do the right thing.”
[Hat Tip: It's a Bird, It's a Plane!]
Over the past few days, Rabbi Kolko's nephew has been arrested as has a former student. The former student, Sabo, has made interesting comments regarding Kolko.
Rabbi Kolko has relatives visiting from Israel currently spending a few days in Lakewood, NJ. Their response to all of this? An odd post with the following moral: "Until you know the facts - and most often you will never know the facts - you know nothing."
My response:
We know the facts.
We will shine our light on all the dark corners and expose the predators, the enablers and the protectors.
That's a fact.
Posted by: jewishwhistleblower | July 22, 2009 at 02:38 PM
“This will pass. It might not be tomorrow. For all I know they could dismiss everything. You never know.”
What an attitude! For him maybe it will pass, but for the victims and their families, can it ever pass? What a Rasha Merusha this bastard! Lock him up and throw away the key!
Posted by: steve | July 22, 2009 at 02:47 PM
No, it will never pass for the victims or their families. May everyone of the cockroaches be exposed.
Posted by: yidandahalf | July 22, 2009 at 03:08 PM
“This will pass. It might not be tomorrow. For all I know they could dismiss everything. You never know.”
he might be right.
DA charles heinz will let him go as he did to kolko and others just recently.
michael your in good hands!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by the way michael got any rabbonim???????????
Posted by: levi | July 22, 2009 at 03:40 PM
If he grows a beard and puts on a hat he will certainly qualify for pidyon shvuyim funds. Especially since he learned at the "best" yeshiva, YTT.
Posted by: steve | July 22, 2009 at 04:04 PM
Breaking News: Another of the Brooklyn 19 pled guilty yesterday to sexual abuse: sexual contact with an individual under 14.
Jewish Press PROVEN wrong, again.
Remember the Jewish Press white-wash?
1) Reality - Case of Arye Ickovits
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/02/28/2009-02-28_abuse_comes_to_light_hasidim_silence_on_-1.html
a. parents went to Rabbis BEFORE the police
b. Ickovits sexually abused the young teen after luring her into his bedroom
c. Ickovits DENIES the abuse in media interviews
2) Jewish Press White-Wash of Ickovits case
see: http:/www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/38076
...
Regarding that Brooklyn incident where it was reported that a male individual "with a walker" had lured a teenaged girl into his home by asking for her help, this story quickly and quietly disappeared from the media radar screen when it was learned that the so-called perpetrator (a formerly upstanding decent family man and prominent member of the Jewish community) had suffered a stroke a while ago and had been left somewhat physically disabled as well as mentally challenged.
Following this episode, the man's alarmed family members took immediate steps to ensure that he would no longer unwittingly create an embarrassing scene for himself or cause panic and trauma to a hapless victim.
...
Posted by: jewishwhistleblower | July 22, 2009 at 04:22 PM
Schedule of Court Proceedings for the Brooklyn 19.
The Brooklyn 19 refer to 19 felony sexual assault cases pending by the Brooklyn District Attorney in the Orthodox community. Yona Weinberg has an additional court proceedings at this time. In addition to the charges related to child sexual abuse he has been convicted on, Weinberg has been charged with criminal contempt. Jerry Brauner has been charged with new sexual abuse offences of May 9, 2009 and was arrested June 24, 2009.
The confirmed Brooklyn 19 to date:
1) Yona Weinberg (found guilty, awaiting sentencing)
2) Emanuel Yegutkin (trial scheduled)
3) Rabbi Avrohom Mondrowitz (extradition proceedings in Israel)
4) Stephen Colmer (pled guilty and incarcerated - parole hearing 01/2010 )
5) Yakov Kramer (?)
6) Arye Ickovits (pled guilty, awaiting sentencing)
7) Arthur Samet (pending)
8) Moshe Spitzer (trial scheduled)
9) Bernard Mutterperl (found guilty, awaiting sentencing)
10) Rabbi Jerry Brauner (has been charged with new sexual abuse offences)
11) Michael Sabo (pending)
12) Martin Vegh AKA Boorich Mordechai Vegg (convicted and incarcerated - parole hearing 07/2014 )
The unconfirmed:
13) Rabbi Avrohom Reichman (only civil case, is he part of the list?)
14) Rabbi Avraham M. Leizerowitz (only civil case, is he part of the list?)
15) Rabbi Yehuda Kolko (only civil case, criminal case settled with plea agreement, is he part of the list?)
16) The unnamed "well-known" storeowner in Brooklyn who took a kid upstairs for years to his office. The victim, now an adult, was interviewed on Hikind's show.(Is he part of the list?)
1) July 30, 2009
Arthur Samet
Kings Criminal Court
Docket: 2008KN080814
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63248172R
NYSID Number: 9737574P
Arrest Number: K08695605
Judge: McGuire, W
2) August 4, 2009
Bernard Mutterperl
Kings Supreme Court
Docket 04570-2007
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 59078829P
NYSID Number: 2582374H
Arrest Number: K07643253
Judge: Dimango, P
Tried and found guilty. Adjourned for sentencing - temporary order of protection issued remanded.
3) August 11, 2009
Emanuel Yegutkin
Kings Supreme Court
Docket: 00902-2009
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63379546L
NYSID Number: 1601530K
Arrest Number: K09607822
Judge: MCKAY,J K
Trial scheduled. Has pled not guilty
4) August 17, 2009
Moshe Spitzer
Kings Criminal Court
Docket: 2009KN018094
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63449911L
NYSID Number: 6889436J
Arrest Number: K09621762
Judge: Walsh, John P.
Trial scheduled. Has pled not guilty.
5) September 9, 2009
Yona Weinberg
b. Kings Supreme Court
Docket 04589-2008
Judge: Reichbach, G
Tried and found guilty. Temporary order of protection issued and bail continued. Sentencing shortly.
6) September 10, 2009 - sentencing
Arye Ickovits
Kings Criminal Court
Docket: 2008KN089893
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63302771K
NYSID Number: 179569K
Arrest Number: K08706105
Pled guilty July 21, 2009 to the PL 130.60 02 a misdemeanor, Sx Abse:sx Cntct W/ind<14
Judge: Godosky, D.
7) September 10, 2009
Michael Sabo
Kings Supreme Court
Case # 03880-2009
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63565996P
NYSID Number: 8360640J
Judge: Walsh, John P.
8) September 14, 2009
Jerry Brauner
Kings Supreme Court
Docket 01425-2005
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 58659485K
NYSID Number: 9047326M
Arrest Number: K09659939
Judge: Laporte, E.
9) September 15, 2009
Yona Weinberg
a.Kings Criminal Court
Docket 2008KN044924
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63031782R
NYSID Number: 235728Z
Arrest Number: K08654460
Judge: Gubbay, J
Additionally:
1) Incarcerated
Stefan Colmer
Kings Supreme Court
Docket: 04314-2007
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 59766853Q
NYSID Number: 2696869K
Arrest Number: K08602074
Judge: MURPHY,MARTIN
- convicted
Parole Eligibility Date: 05/08/2010
Conditional Release Date: 09/08/2012
Maximum Expiration Date: 01/08/2015
2) Yakov Kramer
New York Criminal Court
Docket: 2008NY084614
Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63273183R
NYSID Number: 302829M
Arrest Number: M08696814
No proceedings scheduled. Anyone know the status of this?
Posted by: jewishwhistleblower | July 22, 2009 at 04:36 PM
Why did the parents permit a man in his mid to late 20's to be alone for extended periods with their child?
There doesn't strike me as being any immediately sensible explanation for this.
Posted by: TheSadducee | July 22, 2009 at 08:57 PM
I worked with Mike as his partner for 3 years.I saw him tend to everyone in need.He showed me a different side and i still wont believe these accusations,until the proof is out there to see.and if they are true,something very serious had to take place to have made him turn the other way..
Posted by: anthony f | June 13, 2010 at 07:54 AM
Anthoney wake up and smell the coffee!!!!!!
Just becouse he was able to tend to people needs it does not stop him becouse he is one sick man
Posted by: wake up | June 17, 2010 at 08:24 PM
Anthony, much the same thing is said about the creep who spent my early childhood molesting me. When I got older and fought back, it turned to outright rape. Yet, when I tried to prosecute him, people like you kept him from facing time. They did so again, when the next victim spoke up, just as they had for the victim before me.
Within my family, child abuse is a serious problem. My own grandfather admits that he is a pedophile, not that he likes the term, after being caught molesting my sister. Yet, no one in the family knows such outside of a select few. Those who speak of it, like me, are not welcome company. My cousin left her little girl with the kindly old man, ignorant of what he is, until I found out and warned her.
Most pedophiles do not appear to be monsters. They go out of their way to be kind, to be good, and to try and make up for what they are in secret. No matter how many hours they volunteer, the facts remain the same, as you cannot undo that evil.
Posted by: A girl | October 19, 2010 at 03:10 PM