Federal charges for pair in Amish kidnapping case

MICHAEL VIRTANEN
Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The couple accused of kidnapping two young Amish sisters in northern New York were charged Thursday in federal court with sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.

Nicole Vaisey, 25, and Stephen Howells Jr., 39, of Hermon, already have pleaded not guilty to state kidnapping charges. They were being held without bail in St. Lawrence County and were taken to federal court Thursday in Syracuse to hear the five new charges.

Handcuffed and wearing orange-and-white jail clothing, they acknowledged in court they knew what was happening and said little else, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported. Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley-Dancks appointed lawyers for both.

Calls to their attorneys were not immediately returned.

The 7- and 12-year-old girls were abducted last month from their family farm stand in rural Oswegatchie, near the Canadian border. Authorities say they were shackled and sexually abused before being released the next day about 20 miles from home.

The federal indictment unsealed Thursday in Syracuse says another young girl, now about 8 years old, also was sexually abused during the past two years.

“This indictment charges Howells and Vaisey with enticing and coercing children to engage in sexual conduct and making a video recording of it,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian, who addressed reporters.

Both are now in federal custody with a detention hearing scheduled next week. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan declined to say whether there may be further evidence from the couple’s computer that other children were sexually abused. He said the investigation is continuing.

St. Lawrence County District Attorney Mary Rain said Thursday she still plans to bring additional charges.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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