On May 30, Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced that a teacher from the Peekskill school district was arrested by the DA’s Office today and charged with promoting and possessing child sexual abuse material. This represents the third such case under DA Cacace to hold individuals in a position of public trust accountable for their alleged conduct towards children.
Brian Mishk, 28 years old of Yorktown Heights, was charged with Promoting an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child, a class D felony and Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child, a class E felony. He was arraigned by Judge Livia Rodriguez in the Town of Cortlandt Court and was held on bail. He is due in Yorktown Justice Court on June 5.
DA Cacace said: “This is yet another sad example of a person entrusted with safeguarding our children violating that trust in the worst way. In this case, Mr. Mishk was allegedly in possession of, and promoting, child sexual abuse material. What makes this even more unnerving is that as a school teacher, he was in constant contact with children.”
This case is the latest in a recent string of cases being handled by the Westchester County DA’s Office where people put in positions as stewards of our youth have allegedly abused the responsibility entrusted to them. Some of those cases include the following:
• Thomas Puccini, an Eastchester school official and football coach, who was arrested by the Westchester DA’s Office last year in a “sextortion” case. Further investigation of this case resulted in federal charges of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography being brought against Puccini on May 21.
• Dwayne Murray, a prominent youth basketball coach in Mount Vernon, was arrested by the DA’s Office on May 14 and charged with Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, a class B violent felony.
DA Cacace continued: “I am grateful for the dedication and steadfastness of the investigators and prosecutors in our office. These types of cases can be incredibly taxing on those responsible for delivering justice. I thank all involved for their commitment and sacrifice.”
Anyone who has information regarding any of these cases should contact the DA’s Office at (914) 995-TIPS (8477).
This case is being investigated by the Westchester County DA’s Office’s High Technology Crime Squad and is being prosecuted by Cyber Crimes Bureau Chief Michael Delohery.
