Kingston man faces prison, possible deportation after sexual abuse of girl, 7

KINGSTON - A man living in Kingston pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl on Thursday last week in Ulster County Court.

The Ulster County District Attorney's office said the defendant, Carlos Fernando Pinola Pop, 41, pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual abuse, a felony. He was also living in the country illegally.

According to the district attorney's office, on Sept. 25, 2023, Pinola Pop subjected a 7-year-old girl to sexual contact by placing his hands and penis on her vagina.

The girl told her mother, who informed a third-party community member. That third party contacted police, and the defendant was arrested by the Kingston Police Department on Oct. 13, 2023.

The defendant subsequently admitted the sexual contact with the girl to the police.

"The message of this case is clear," Jenna Hastings, special victims bureau chief for the district attorney's office, said in a statement. "A child should never be the target of a sexual act for anyone."

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The district attorney's office did not disclose the relationship between Pinola Pop and the 7-year-old. Pinola Pop faces up to seven years in state prison when he is sentenced by visiting Sullivan County Court Judge James Farrell on Oct. 10. He also will be registered as a sex offender.

Furthermore, he faces potential deportation by the federal government when he completes his prison sentence.

Pinola Pop was represented by John Evans of the Ulster County Public Defender's office. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Kingston man faces prison, possible deportation after sexual abuse of girl, 7