Following a five-day trial and two days of deliberations, a 57‑year‑old man was convicted in Erie County on a serious felony charge.
AMHERST, NY — A jury found man, formerly of Amherst, guilty of predatory sexual assault against a child.
Claude T. Tortora, 57, was found guilty after nearly two days of deliberations following a five-day trial in Erie County. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday.
According to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, jurors convicted Tortora on the sole count in the indictment, which stemmed from allegations that he engaged in acts of sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13. Prosecutors said the offenses occurred “between on or about June 1, 2013, and on or about April 5, 2018,” at a location in the Town of Amherst.
The defendant was known to the victim, prosecutors said. Tortora was apprehended in Buffalo in February of 2024; he had been living in Prescott, Ariz.
Tortora faces up to 25 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced before Erie County Court on March 24.
Tortora is being held without bail, and a temporary order of protection issued on behalf of the victim remains in effect.