This article was originally published on March 8 and has since been updated with developments.
Sleepy Hollow's Planning Board Chairman has resigned from the appointed post that was supposed to go until 2015, said Mayor Ken Wray today.
George Tanner, 60, was arrested Wednesday and arraigned with bail set at $1,000 cash or $10,000 bond for a one-count charge of "attempted disseminating indecent material to minors in the first degree."
According to the Westchester District Attorney's Office Deputy Communications Director Tracy Everson, George Tanner, 60, was scheduled to report back to court Thursday morning as he had no attorney present with him when he was arrested.
In an update Thursday evening, Everson said Tanner made bail and the case was adjourned today as the defendant had not yet secured an attorney. Tanner is due back in court on March 15.
Everson couldn't speak more to the particulars of this case at this time but said "our office monitors activities in chat rooms and the Internet and somehow picked up on him."
County Criminal Investigator Andrew Grascia accused Tanner, a Sleepy Hollow Manor resident, for online activities that took place between the dates of February 15 and March 7.
According to the official felony complaint, the defendant:
knowing the character and content of the communication which, in whole or in part, depicted or described, either in words or images actual or simulated nudity, sexual conduct and sado-maschistic abuse, and which was harmful to minors, intentionally used a computer communication system allowing the input, output, examination and transfer of computer data from one computer to another, and attempted to initiate and engage in such communication with a person who was a minor; and by means of such communication he attempted to importune, invite and induce a minor to engage in sexual intercouse, deviate sexual intercourse and sexual contact with him, and sexual conduct for his benefit.
The complaint then further elaborates that in that time period from mid-February to this Tuesday, Investigator Grascia had acted undercover, assuming the role of a 15-year-old female. Despite making it clear that "she" was 15, "she" and Tanner reportedly engaged in a series of online chats wherein the defendant "discussed specific sexual acts...in which he would engage" the complainant.
Mayor Wray said, "I find the charges very disturbing," however he knew "nothing about the particulars of the case" and couldn't speak further on the matter except to say that Tanner had indeed resigned.
Below is Tanner's official bio as posted on The Sleepy Hollow Coalition website, when he ran, unsuccessfully, for Trustee in 2006. He is married with a daughter.
- Chairman, Sleepy Hollow Parking Authority, 5 years
- Member, Sleepy Hollow Planning Board, 8 years; Zoning Board 1 year
- 10 Year resident of Sleepy Hollow; former member/Director, Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, 5 years
- General Sales Manager, BMW of Oyster Bay, Automotive industry 30 years.
- Graduate, University of Jacksonville and the Community Leadership Alliance, Pace University Law School
- Volunteer to many civic and charitable organizations
