On Monday April 10, Seth Young, age 49, of Esopus, pled guilty without any promises to his entire three count indictment charging him with the felonies of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, after jurors from all parts of the County had assembled and selection of jurors was about to begin.

The indictment charged the defendant with forcibly breaking into the Headless Horseman Haunted Attractions in Esopus and using a bolt cutter to steal the ATM from the business on December 10, 2021. While that matter was pending the defendant went to Herzog’s in the City of Kingston and stole a snowblower on December 21, 2021. He struck again on Christmas day, December 25, 2021, stealing another snowblower from Herzog’s.

Video surveillance at both businesses captured the defendant committing the charged offenses. He confessed to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Detectives during the Headless Horseman investigation, and to the Kingston Police Detectives for the Herzog’s investigation. Ulster County Sheriff detectives executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered the stolen ATM which he had smashed to pieces.

Due to his long and persistent history of felony convictions and recidivism, Assistant District Attorney Paul Derohannesian has indicated that the DA’s Office “will file an application before Ulster County Court Judge Bryan Rounds for the defendant to be sentenced as a persistent felony offender to prevent him from doing any further harm to the people and businesses of Ulster County.”

Persistent felony offender treatment is permitted by law to protect the community from criminals such as this defendant. He has had numerous opportunities in the last 25 years or more to change his ways, including having a serious violent felony reduced to a misdemeanor in 2019, yet he has not shown any sign or inclination to change.

The case was prosecuted by Paul Derohannesian, Bureau Chief of General Felonies and DWI. The defendant was represented by attorney Kevin Richards.