U.S. SENTENCES WARWICK MAN TO 115 YEARS AND HIS
COMPANION TO 65 YEARS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and MARK J. MERSHON, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office, announced that KENNETH LEIGHT was sentenced to 115 years in prison, and MARIAM JASS was sentenced to 65 years in prison, for their sexual abuse of children. United States District Judge STEPHEN C. ROBINSON imposed the sentences today in federal court in White Plains.

The sentences followed a jury trial earlier this year. LEIGHT, 59, and JASS, 32, were convicted on charges of transporting minors across state lines for purposes of engaging in illegal sexual activities, coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, and conspiring to do so. LEIGHT was also convicted of possessing child pornography.

According to the evidence at trial, in July 2003 LEIGHT and JASS transported a minor (“Victim 1"), who was then 11 years old, to a New Jersey hotel and sexually abused Victim 1 there. LEIGHT and Jass also engaged in repeated sexual abuse of Victim 1 both before and after this event. Further, in October 2004, LEIGHT and JASS transported another minor, then 12 years old (“Victim 2"), to a New Jersey hotel, where they sexually abused Victim 2 and took photographs of the abuse. LEIGHT and JASS had sexually abused Victim 2 prior to this event. The evidence at trial also established that LEIGHT and JASS also sought to victimize another minor, who was 13 years old at the time. Finally, LEIGHT had more than 400 images and videos of child pornography on his computer, and showed some of it to Victim 1 and Victim 2. Both Victim 1 and Victim 2 testified at trial.

LEIGHT was sentenced to 115 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. In sentencing LEIGHT, Judge ROBINSON stated: “The notion in my mind that you could be let out to victimize ever again is one that I cannot see. You took innocent children and you used them for your own pleasure. And in the process apparently cared not that you were destroying lives.” JASS was sentenced to 65 years in prison.

LEIGHT and JASS lived in Warwick, New York, until their arrests on November 3, 2004. They have been in custody since that time.

Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Warwick Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys MARCIA S. COHEN and JOHN P. COLLINS, JR. are in charge of the prosecution. 06-156