Pocono News Section

Bucello Guilty Of Child Abuse

Bucello Guilty Of Child Abuse - Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 10:51PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 @10:51pm EST

STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY- Vincent Bucello is no longer a free man. A jury found him guilty Thursday afternoon of abusing his infant son. Anthony Bucello, now a healthy one-year-old, suffered near-fatal injuries in May 2006. He was two months old at the time of the crimes.

Thursday night, Bucello had nothing to say as he was walked out of the Monroe County Courthouse, cuffed and on his way to prison. The judge doubled his $50,000 bond after the verdict was read.

It took a jury less than three hours to deliver the guilty verdict on charges of aggravated assault and lesser counts.

The judge tossed out a charge of attempted homicide. The district attorney's office said it would have been difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Bucello had specific intent to kill. The 21-year-old Blakeslee man took the stand in his own defense and testified he was only gentle with his son. Bucello also deflected the abuse accusations, blaming them on other family members. Audio tapes retrieved by police and played in court offered details of a plot by Bucello to blame relatives.

Other testimony suggested Bucello dangled his son upside down and slammed him to the floor.

Bucello's attorney, Brett Riegel, says he's disappointed with the jury's ruling. He plans to appeal.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 5th.