Halfmoon man accused in St. Johnsville park attack

ST. JOHNSVILLE – At about 7:30pm Thursday night, St. Johnsville police were called for a report of a sexual assault at Soldiers & Sailors Park. Police say a young woman reported she had been lured to a place in the park and sexually assaulted.

Pictures of the suspect’s car were widely shared.

Investigators got a lot of help from the community.

“We had several people call us, offer us video from their homes,” said St. Johnsville Police Chief Donald VanDeusen. “We canvassed neighborhoods and spoke with people. People in this village are extremely cooperative with the police department and there are a lot of people that are willing to go that extra mile to help us and keep this a safe community.”

Agha Musaib Kahn, 26, of Halfmoon is facing charges of criminal sex act, forcible touching, and unlawful imprisonment. Police say they were able to track him down with the help of video and a partial plate number.

“Our investigation found that the individual that was responsible for this was someone that the victim had met online just previous and had agreed to meet with,” said the chief. “And when the victim met with the suspect, the suspect decided that he wanted more than the victim wanted to get involved with and wouldn’t allow the victim to back out.”

“There’s nothing so private that somebody you just met today can’t share with you in front of your friends.”

St. Johnsville Police Chief Donald VanDeusen

Chief VanDeusen says when it comes to social media, it’s always best to keep safety in mind and take precautions when going from online chatting to meeting in person.

“In the most public place you can with the most people around you, and don’t allow them to lure you into a secluded area,” he said. “There’s nothing so private that somebody you just met today can’t share with you in front of your friends.”

The chief says they’re in the process of installing cameras in the village, with at least three cameras in the park in the coming month.