On March 14, James Grant, Jr., age 74, of Pine Bush, pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a Class D felony, before Judge James Farrell. The defendant decided to plead to the indictment just four days before trial was set to begin.
In pleading guilty, Grant admitted to touching the vagina of a child less than eleven years old for the purposes of sexual gratification. When asked by the judge if the child appeared to be under the age of 11 when the defendant touched the child sexually, the defendant responded, “Oh yeah.”

“The defendant, in just ten minutes alone with a young child, turned the child’s life upside down by exposing this child to sexual contact for his own sexual proclivities. James Grant, Jr. is a danger to children and now our community knows it. The child in this case was incredibly brave for coming forward and disclosing what the defendant did,” said Special Victims Bureau Chief Jenna Hastings.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 13.