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Freundel Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Jail

Victims applaud in courtroom as judge deems defendant’s conduct ‘despicable. There is no justification.’

by
Jonathan Zalman
May 15, 2015

Today Barry Freundel, the disgraced Washington D.C. rabbi who in February pleaded guilty to 52 counts of voyeurism, was handed a 6.5 prison sentence, or 45 days for each count to be served consecutively. Many of Freundel’s victims applauded in the courtroom when the decision was delivered, a bit after 4:15 p.m. EST.

“The defendant repeatedly and seriously violated the trust and abused his power,” Judge Geoffrey Alprin told the courtroom, reported NBC Washington. “The conduct is despicable. There is no justification. The defendant lured victims to the mikvah and secretly recorded them undressed without their knowledge or permission.”

Freundel personally addressed the court, said “I am horrified and disgusted by how I acted”…didn’t sway judge. He was sentenced to 6.5 yrs



— Joce Sterman (@jocefromthenews) May 15, 2015

Jonathan Zalman is a writer and teacher based in Brooklyn.