Syracuse man gets 25 years to life in child sex abuse case

A Syracuse man will spend 25 years to life in prison after an Onondaga County Court judge sentenced him for sexually abusing sisters, closing a case prosecutors and investigators cast as a profound breach of trust. Judge Matthew Doran handed down the sentence for David Arnold on May 20, leaving him under state supervision for decades and, if he is ever released, for the rest of his life.

The punishment came only after two adjournments. Arnold had represented himself for much of the case and asked on May 7 for time to find an attorney, prompting Doran to push sentencing to May 14 and then again to May 20. Prosecutors opposed the delay and said the victims’ family was ready for the case to end. By the time the sentence was imposed, the family had finally been able to address the court through detectives Tanya Wickline and Lysa Mills.

Arnold was arrested by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 5, 2024, after investigators said he sexually abused a young child during the summer. He was 71 at the time and lived on Horseshoe Island Road in Clay. The earlier charges included course of sexual conduct of a child in the first degree, sexual abuse of a child under 11, and two counts of acting in a manner to injure a child under 17. Investigators also said there could be more victims and urged anyone with information to contact the Onondaga County Abused Person Unit at 315-435-3092.

At sentencing, one victim described being 8 years old when the abuse occurred and said she trusted Arnold “like a grandpa.” She said the experience left her depressed, sad, worried and disgusted, and told the court she felt safer at Sunshine Farm. She also said she missed the farm and wished she could have a do-over of summer 2024. The other sister had been described in court records as happy and normal, with lots of friends, before the abuse.

New York law treats predatory sexual assault against a child as a class A-II felony when an adult commits specified sex offenses against a victim younger than 13. In practice, 25 years to life is the maximum sentence for that crime, making Arnold’s punishment the statutory ceiling. For Onondaga County, the case now stands as a reminder that child abuse cases often depend on careful investigation, sustained court action and quick reporting when warning signs appear.