POUGHKEEPSIE – Thirty-two-year-old Jacob Bender of Hyde Park was sentenced to one and 1/3 to four years in prison on Tuesday following an . Bender’s crime spree took place in November and December of 2024 in Hyde Park. The sentence was handed down in Dutchess County Court by Judge Karen Edelman-Reyes.
On December 6, 2024 he violated an order of protection and placed a St. James Episcopal Rector in fear for her safety by sending an email that said she had no authority to preach the gospel and that she and her flock would burn in hell.
He violated the order again on December 11, 2024 when he was seen walking past her residence. His attempts to terrorize the pastor also included intimidating language against the church’s acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community when he emailed her using the subject line “repent,” causing her to reasonably fear harm to her physical health, safety or property, according to the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office.
Bender’s grandparents are congregants of the church.
District Attorney Anthony Parisi said, “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s deliberate and escalating pattern of conduct, which demonstrated a complete disregard for the authority of the court, the safety of the victim, and the community.” Parisi noted that “This case highlights exactly why our Office established a dedicated with support from the United States Department of Justice. When individuals are targeted because of their identity, their beliefs, or the communities they represent, the harm reaches well beyond the immediate victim; it threatens the sense of safety, dignity, and mutual respect that holds communities together. Conduct fueled by hate, bias, or intolerance has no place in Dutchess County. Every resident deserves the ability to live, worship, work, and serve others without fear of intimidation or harassment, and this Office will remain steadfast in protecting those fundamental rights.”
The Town of Hyde Police Department handled the investigation with the assistance of the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by Hate Crimes Unit Chief Brittney Kessel and Senior Assistant District Attorney Victoria Roessling.
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