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Raucci sentenced 23 years to life
SCHENECTADY -- Stephen Raucci has received mostly concurrent sentences in his 18-count conviction of arson, criminal mischief, conspiracy and weapons possession charges.
He received a minimum 20 years to life for the arson conviction, stemming from a 2001 explosion that blew a door off a home; he was also sentenced to 15 years for criminal possession of a weapon to run concurrently with the sentence.
Raucci, 61, was also sentenced to one to three years for coercion.
In total, that's a minimum of 23 years imprisonment for 18 sentences in what prosecutors called a years-long campaign of intimidation against people Raucci considered enemies.
Raucci, the former facilities director for the Schenectady City School District, was convicted in a jury trial back in April.
During sentencing Tuesday, prosecutor Bob Carney requested Raucci receive the maximum sentences and that Raucci serve the sentences consecutively.
Victims of convicted arsonist Raucci also made statements. Laura Balogh whose home was terrorized, Hal and Deborah Gray whose vehicles and home were repeatedly destroyed as well as Ronald Kriss whose vehicle was vandalized all spoke in court.
The 61-year-old Raucci was impassive as victims told the sentencing judge on Tuesday how fear changed the way they lived.
"He had no emotion, no remorse for what he's done." says Deborah Gray.
"He was a terrorist. Not in the scope of 9/11, he didn't fly a airplane into my home but what he did was terrorism" said Hal Gray.
"Mr Raucci tormented my father with worry until the day he died. My father died not knowing if my mother would be safe" says Ronald Kriss a former school employee.
"Then there is my son who to this day will not sleep in his bed alone" says Laura Balogh.
The judge also granted those four a combined $5200 in restitution.
Raucci's attorney also made a statement, asking for leniency. Earlier, the judge dismissed arguments by Stephen Raucci's attorneys requesting a reversal of the jury verdict convicting Raucci.
Raucci also wrote a letter to the court and asked his attorney Ronald DeAngelus to read it aloud. In the letter Raucci claims that he has been wrongfully branded a very dangerous criminal and that the terrorism charge that he was acquitted on back in April was designed to keep him in jail for the year leading up to the trial and since. He also viewed the sentencing as a death sentence for something he didn't do.
The minimum 23 to life sentence was actually much harsher but because the former facilities director for Schenectady schools can serve most of it at the same time it means Raucci may be able to be paroled when he turns 83. He's 61 years old now.
"Generally people with A-1 felonies will not get out on parole on their first appearence. Infact I have never seen it happen. Because there is a life sentence there is no guarantee for parole." says Schenectady District Attorney Bob Carney.
Immediately after the sentencing Raucci asked his attorney to appeal the decision.
