Inaugural Westchester DA awards highlight teamwork in New Rochelle sex abuse case

Jonathan Bandler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·2 min read

Investigators, prosecutors and support staff whose work led to the conviction of a sexual predator of teenage boys in New Rochelle were among the recipients of the 2023 awards in the Westchester District Attorney's Office.

The inaugural Patrick P. Moore Award for Excellence in Prosecution and the Stuart Cohen Award for Investigative Excellence went to the extended team that investigated and prosecuted Jason Ricketts, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing three boys in New Rochelle over a four-year period and videotaping the abuse.

Cyber Crimes Bureau Chief Laura Forbes, Domestic Violence Deputy Bureau Chief Janelle Armentano, Child and Elder Abuse Bureau Chief Christine Hatfield, Senior Assistant District Attorney Mollie O'Rourke of the sex crimes bureau, Melissa Sheeley, investigations information coordinator and Stacey Nolan-Meaney, clinical trauma therapist, shared the prosecution award.

Some of the Westchester District Attorney's Office 2023 award winners pose with DA Mimi Rocah (third from right) on May 14, 2024. From left: Thomas Woodburn and Chloe McSwiney, recipients of the Stuart Cohen Award for Investigative Excellence; and Laura Forbes, Stacey Nolan-Meaney and Christine Hatfield, recipients of the Patrick P. Moore Award for Excellence in Prosecution.

The investigative award went to Criminal Investigators Thomas Woodburn and Marecia Baltimore, Senior Criminal Investigator Latheia Smith and crime analyst Chloe McSwiney.

Moore was a retired 35-year veteran prosecutor in the office who died last year while participating in Swim Across America in Larchmont. Cohen was a senior criminal investigator who worked in the DA's office for 11 years until his death in 2007 from a fatal narcotics exposure suffered during a raid of a heroin stash house in Hartsdale.

The Priscilla Patrinos Staffer of the Year Award went to Olivia Kelly, coordinator of administration, who has worked in the DA's Office since 2006. Patrinos worked under three administrations during a 31-year career in the DA's Office before retiring in 2010.

“The people of Westchester County should be proud to know that some of the most dedicated, hard working and committed public servants are fighting every day on behalf of victims and ensuring justice is served," District Attorney Mimi Rocah said in a statement announcing the awards that she established this past year. "By instituting these awards, we have an opportunity as an office of more than 250 people to celebrate the remarkable achievement of our prosecutors, investigators, analysts, aides and support staff.”

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle sex abuse case teamwork honored in Westchester DA awards