Borough Park, NY - Lawyers Seeking Reversal of 32-Year Sentencing After Arrest of Man For Bribing Witness

Last updated on: Today 12:35 PM

Borough Park, NY - Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced the indictment of Samuel Kellner, 49, charged with paying a child to testify falsely that Borough Park rabbi, Baruch Lebovits, had sexually abused him. Kellner is also charged with attempting to extort $400,000 from the Lebovits family to prevent other children from accusing the rabbi and to stop those who had come forward from pursuing their cases.

The indictment charges that, in 2008 Kellner paid a second child $10,000 to falsely claim Lebovits also abused him. Both children testified before a Kings County Grand Jury which ultimately charged Lebovits with both misdemeanor and felony sex abuse counts, according to the indictment against Kellner. Kellner next sent emissaries to the Lebovits family demanding $400,000, in exchange for which, Kellner would prevent those witnesses from testifying at trial and prevent a third ''victim'' from coming forward, according to the indictment. The Lebovits family did not comply with the demand, and in November 2008, a third ''victim'' did come forward, the indictment charges. Kellner later threatened to bring a fourth ''victim'' to testify, according to the indictment.

In March 2010 Lebovits was convicted of eight counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, with the testimony of the third witness. The second witness did not testify at the trial. Lebovits was sentenced to 10-and-two-thirds to 32 years in prison.

Kellner is charged with Five Counts of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Two Counts of Perjury in the First Degree, One Count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree and Two Counts of Criminal Solicitation in the Fourth Degree. If convicted, he faces up to 21 years in prison.

According to NBC News Defense lawyers for Lebovits were expected in court Wednesday to try and argue their client should be released