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MAMARONECK, N.Y. -- For people like Ricardo Noreno, of Larchmont, Saxon Woods Park has become a destination for anonymous sexual encounters, said Westchester County Police, who have arrested 16 people and charged them with lewdness and forcible touching after incidents in the park.
The arrests, which have been made over the past few months, came after police began monitoring various online networking sites and message boards.
Public Safety Commissioner George Longworth said the department publicized operation overexposed Friday with the hopes that getting the public involved would deter further illegal sexual activity.
We will not tolerate this kind of activity in any county park, Longworth said in a press release. If you come to Saxon Woods Parks for this purpose, you will be arrested and your name will be released to the media.
Officers began monitoring the park after receiving complaints of suspicious activity near a picnic and restroom building at the northern end of the park by Mamaroneck Avenue.
Arrests of Westchester, Fairfield County, Conn., and New York City residents began in May and continued with undercover operations in July, August and September. Officers said they arrested some people after observing them in illegal sexual activity. Others were arrested after exposing themselves to police or groping undercover officers in restrooms, according to a press release.
The following 16 people have been arrested in operation overexposed since July:
-Carmelo Ciccone, 37, of White Plains, was charged with public lewdness on July 15.
- George Klitch, 61, of Stamford, Conn., was charged with public lewdness and unlawful possession of marijuana on Aug. 19.
- Joseph Teeven, 50, of White Plains, was charged with forcible touching and public lewdness on Aug. 24.
- Ricardo Norena, 42, of Larchmont, was charged with forcible touching on Aug. 24.
- Thomas Cawley, 73, of Greenwich, Conn., was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 24.
- Jesse Soto, 41, of Manhattan, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 25.
- Emilio Salbati, 53, of Port Chester, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 25.
- Ira Cohen, 67, of Hartsdale, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 25.
- Alfred Vachris III, 42, of Manhattan, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 26.
- Joseph Fraioli, 69, of White Plains, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 26.
- Richard Dippolito, 64, of White Plains, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 26.
- Stanley Shapiro, 63, of the Bronx, was charged with forcible touching on Aug. 26.
- Paul Dziuma, 60, of the Bronx, was charged with public lewdness on Aug. 26.
- Philip Fiumefreddo, 75, of the Bronx, was charged with forcible touching and public lewdness on Aug. 26.
- Martin Wesley, 45, of White Plains, was charged with public lewdness on Sept. 30.
- Roberto Silva, 49, of New Rochelle, was charged with public lewdness on Sept. 30.
All public lewdness and forcible touching charges were misdemeanors.
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