Former police officer sentenced

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June 26, 2008

<a href="mailto:lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com">By LOHR McKINSTRY</a> The Press Republican Thu Jun 26, 2008, 05:03 PM EDT

SCHENECTADY — A former police officer from Essex County will spend 10 years on probation after he admitted having sexual relations with an 8-year-old girl.

Peter C. Kunath, 62, of Queensbury admitted he had sexual conduct with the girl at two locations in Glenville, Schenectady County, in summer 2007.

Kunath was a police officer with Lake Placid and Saranac Lake village police departments from the 1970s through the 1980s.

He later became an State Environmental Conservation Police officer and retired as an EnCon investigator.

He pleaded guilty to felony first-degree sexual abuse of a child under the age of 11.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, Kunath must stay away from the girl until 2018 or he faces four years in state prison for violating probation.

Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago sentenced Kunath to 40 days time served and 10 years on probation. She also ordered him to register as a sex offender.

He was arrested by Glenville Police in March.

Kunath was represented by Schenectady County Public Defender William Lotze.

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at:

lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com