Guilty Plea in 2020 Hudson Valley Rape Charge

A 22 year old Purling NY man has pleaded guilty on rape charges.

Austin Hollister, who resides on Mountain Avenue in Purling, a hamlet in Greene County near Catskill NY, pleaded guilty on Monday June 28th before a judge in Ulster County Court after a 2020 arrest.  Hollister was arrested by Saugerties police in August 2020 and charged with forcible rape of a 66 year old woman at the Wenton Motel.

It was reported that on Sunday August 16th, 2020, the Saugerties Police Department responded to the Wenton Motel after several motel guests heard the woman crying for help, and managed to force themselves into her motel room.  The woman was able to escape and one witness even held the suspect on the ground until he was taken into custody by police.

Hollister was arrested, charged with first-degree rape, a felony, and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.

It was reported that on Monday June 28th, the court discussed Hollister's rights to a jury trial and other proceedings, but he then voluntarily waved those rights, and 'firmly answered that he was guilty of the charge.'

According to the press release from the Ulster County District Attorney's Office, rape in the first degree, a class B violent felony, carries a prison sentence of between 5 and 25 years that must be imposted by the court at the time of sentencing after the review of the Pre-Sentence Report.

Sentencing is set for September 2, 2021 in Ulster County Court.

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