ITHACA, N.Y. — Authorities are not releasing the mugshot of a man charged with brutally raping and assaulting a woman in Dryden at this time.
The man has been released on bail.
“My impression is…I might be doing trauma to the victim once again if the photo gets out there,” Dryden Police Chief Mike Watkins said. “It’s not an easy decision.”
Jeffrey L. Horton, 52, is charged with 10 felonies and six misdemeanors after he stalked a woman, bound her hands and brutally raped and abused her at her home in March, according to court records.
Though originally incarcerated at the Tompkins County Jail, he was released on $100,000 bail, jail officials said.
Corrections Division Captain Ray Bunce said it is the jail’s policy to not release mugshots of people who are not currently in custody at the facility, regardless of what they’ve been charged with.
Watkins said he understands that people have safety concerns regarding Horton.
“We’re concerned with the safety of everyone … But I’ve got to play it on a case-by-case basis and at this point, the victim is of the priority for me,” he said.
Watkins said he wants to avoid possible identification of the victim by people in the community — something he said could happen if the photo is released.
He said the police department has conferred with district attorney’s office about the decision to withhold the mugshot from the public. Still, Watkins said he made the decision to not to release it.
Watkins said Horton’s photo may be released at another time, but that the department would likely confer with the victim before doing so.
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