LIBERTY, NY — On Saturday, March 18, at approximately 2 a.m. Village of Liberty Police Officers responded to a 911 call for a report of a sexual assault at a residence in the Village of Liberty. Responding officers located a female victim at that location who reported being threatened with a knife and sexually assaulted.

Investigation by officers and detectives with the Village of Liberty Police Department resulted in the arrest of Brandon Dalto, 23 of Liberty NY. Dalto was charged with rape in the 1 st degree, sexual abuse in the 1 st degree, strangulation in the 2nd degree, felonies, and menacing in the 2nd degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree and endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanors. Dalto was taken into custody without incident and arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court by the Honorable Judge Johnstone . He was remanded to Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $75,000 cash bail, $150,000 bond or $300,000 partially secured bond.

Criminal charges are merely allegations that a defendant has committed violations of the criminal law, and as such they are not evidence of guilt. All defendants have a presumption of innocence and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the burden of the State of New York to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.