Neil Gardner was the Highway Superintendent in Stephentown, New York. In March, 2022, he settled with a woman who sued under New York’s Child Victims Act. The woman claimed he sexually abused her from the age of twelve and that he took explicit photos of her “that he would brag about and sell.” A second woman came forward with a similar experience of being repeatedly raped as a child.
The girl worked in his family’s ice cream shop from the age of fourteen. Gardner said he had a sexual relationship with her but it was adult and consensual. Nonetheless, he settled and avoided admitting guilt. The woman went to the State Police twelve years earlier, but the statute of limitations had passed.
Incredibly after being arrested for buying town gravel from an illegal mine and covering it up with forged documents and being convicted on 24 felonies related to that, the town’s Republicans still put him up as their candidate for high superintendent again. He lost.
Another woman came forward, alleging he began sexually harassing her as she worked at the family ice cream parlor since the age of 15. He drove her home, the house was empty, and he raped her. She claims he repeatedly raped her over the years. She went to police and within days of making the report, he became angry and abusive in retaliation, which suggests the police protected him rather than her.
- Albany Times Union: Ex-Stephentown highway chief settles child sex abuse case
- Albany Times Union: Second lawsuit accuses owner of Stephentown ice creamery of rape
In Trump Country
