PEOPLE v. JOHNSON (2023)

Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Bahaati E. Pitt, J.), entered on or about January 26, 2021, which adjudicated defendant a level two sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act (Correction Law art 6–C), unanimously affirmed, without costs.

The court properly assessed defendant 10 points under the risk factor for forcible compulsion.  The case summary and presentence report provided clear and convincing evidence to support the imposition of the points, given their statements that the 12–year–old victim had reported that defendant grabbed her by the arm, took her into the bathroom, pulled down her pants, and pushed her to the ground before raping her, and that he punched her in the face when she struggled (see People v. Mingo, 12 N.Y.3d 563, 572–573, 883 N.Y.S.2d 154, 910 N.E.2d 983 [2009];  see also People v. Hernandez, 117 A.D.3d 524, 524, 985 N.Y.S.2d 245 [1st Dept. 2014], lv denied 24 N.Y.3d 902, 2014 WL 4454904 [2014]).  The court was entitled to credit the victim's initial account of the incident and disregard her subsequent recantations under the circumstances of this case.