Bethlehem man sentenced to over 24 years in rape case
A 59-year-old Bethlehem was sentenced to over 24 years in prison after he was convicted in June on 11 rape, sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child charges.
Richard Clevenstine was found guilty of those charges in a jury trial in June.
According to the Albany County D.A.'s office, Clevenstine sexually abused two teenage girls repeatedly between January 2006 and August 2007.
One of the girls was less than fifteen years old at the time, said D.A. David Soares.
"Clevenstine befriended the family of the two victims in order to gain their trust and then engaged in a grooming process with both girls in order to ensure their silence in committing the crimes," according to a statement by Soares.
Clevenstine was sentenced to a total of 24 2/3 years in prison and to 29 years of post-release supervision.
