SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — On October 30, 2026, Sullivan County District Attorney Brian P. Conaty announced that a Sullivan County Jury returned guilty verdicts against Joseph Wallace, 52, of Liberty, for three counts of Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child, Class A-II Felonies, and Rape in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony, following a five-day jury trial.

These convictions established that the defendant vaginally raped his step-daughter on numerous occasions from the time she was five-years-old until she was sixteen-years-old. Specifically, the jury found that on July 1, 2010, the defendant raped his five-year old step-daughter when left home alone at the family residence; the defendant raped his step-daughter on October 7, 2010, while home alone at the family residence while her mother lay in a hospital bed recovering from the birth of the defendant’s son; that from on or about and between May 31, 2012, to June 23, 2017, the defendant vaginally raped his step-daughter on at least one occasion and further committed two acts of sexual conduct against her; and that in the early morning hours of September 7, 2020, the defendant entered his step-daughter’s bedroom and vaginally raped her prior to being caught by her mother. This case was diligently investigated by Investigator Robert Breault and Senior Investigator Nancy Stack of the Orange County Child Abuse Unit.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2027, at 10am, where he faces a maximum potential sentence of eighty-two years to life incarceration in state prison. This case was prosecuted at trial by District Attorney Brian P. Conaty with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney James McGlashin. The defendant was represented by Elissa Killian, Esq., while Sullivan County Court Judge James R. Farrell presided over the trial.

Conaty said: “The strength and courage of this victim to come forward and tell her story is nothing short of impressive and inspiring. For far too long, this defendant manipulated and sexually abused this young and fragile victim. I hope this conviction provides the closure she has been waiting for her entire life. The jury’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for conduct that represents one of the most disturbing and reprehensible crimes that can be committed against an innocent and vulnerable victim. Those who prey upon children and exploit their innocence must understand that they will be relentlessly pursued and held accountable for their actions. I want to thank Investigator Robert Breault, Senior Investigator Nancy Stack, and the members of the Family Violence Response Team who assisted in this case, for their unwavering commitment to secure justice for the victim.”