Sheriff seeks more victims after Mattydale man’s sex abuse arrest

The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office is asking for more victims and witnesses to come forward after arresting a 61-year-old Mattydale man in a sexual abuse case that investigators say may reach beyond the incident already documented.

Donald J. Bender Jr. was arrested April 22 after what the sheriff’s office described as a comprehensive investigation that began in January. He was booked into the Onondaga County Justice Center and charged with criminal sexual act in the third degree, a Class E felony under New York law.

Deputies say the case centers on an alleged sexual encounter in late winter 2017 with a male who was 16 at the time. Investigators also believe there may have been additional encounters before that incident, which is why they are publicly urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement now rather than wait.

The sheriff’s office says Bender volunteered extensively with the Mattydale Fire Department for many years and frequently transported juvenile males involved in the department’s Junior Program. That role is one reason investigators believe there may be additional victims or people who saw or heard something relevant to the case.

Mattydale Fire Chief Brian M. Falise said Bender has been suspended and banned from the department, and the department is cooperating with investigators. Sheriff Toby Shelley also issued a public warning calling on offenders to leave children alone, underscoring the seriousness of the case and the office’s effort to protect other potential victims.

For families, former Junior Program participants, and anyone who may have had contact with Bender in Mattydale or nearby neighborhoods, the sheriff’s office says the next step is to speak with Detective Zachary Kogut of the Special Victims Unit at (315) 435-3092, ext. 305. Investigators say any detail, even one that seems small, could help determine whether the abuse went further than the arrest now in hand.