An alleged home invasion, assault and burglary in an apartment on Broadway in Port Ewen early Sunday morning has resulted in the arrest of a local man.
Deputies from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office arrested 21-year-old Port Ewen resident George M. Banks Jr. on Sunday, December 4, charging that Banks broke into an apartment looking for a person. Upon discovering that the person wasn't there, police say, Banks assaulted the apartment's occupant, struck her while she was holding her baby, took her cell phone, and threatened her with further harm.
Banks was already on probation for an unrelated felony assault, police say.
Banks will also face charges of criminal mischief for damage he allegedly commited to the former Moose Lodge in Port Ewen and a pickup truck.
A press release from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office:
Detectives from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office report the arrest of George M. Banks Jr., 21, of 20 Saint Joseph's Boulevard, Port Ewen, on numerous charges stemming from a "home invasion" style burglary early this morning.
At approximately 4:45 AM on 12/4/11, deputies responded to a residence on Broadway in Port Ewen for a report of a male inside woman's apartment. While searching the apartment deputies found Mr. Banks hiding in the attic in possession of the victim's cell phone. Additional investigation yielded evidence that Mr. Banks had entered this apartment looking for a person, and when he was told that person wasn't there, refused to leave. He then allegedly began a series of actions, including striking the female in her apartment, sexually assaulting her, striking her a second time while she was holding her infant, forcibly taking her cell phone, and threatening harm to her if she screamed. Investigation at the scene determined Mr. Banks and the victim are not previously known to each other.
Mr. Banks was charged with the felonies of Burglary in the 2nd Degree, Robbery in the 3rd Degree, the misdemeanors of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Forcible Touching, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 5th Degree, Menacing in the 3rd Degree, as well as the violation of Harassment in the 2nd Degree. He was arraigned in Esopus Town Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail. Mr. Banks is also currently on probation for felony assault for an unrelated incident.
Two additional counts of misdemeanor Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree are also anticipated against Mr. Banks stemming from damage he's alleged to have committed to the former Moose Lodge in Port Ewen as well as a pickup truck prior to the above burglary.
