Former Westchester County Board of Legislators aide accused of trying to entice minor released from jail while awaiting trial
Anand Singh, 33, was arrested by the FBI on Monday following accusations that he shared explicit messages with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl in December 2022.
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A former Westchester County Board of Legislators aide accused of attempting to entice a minor has been released from jail while awaiting trial.
Anand Singh, 33, was arrested by the FBI on Monday following accusations that he shared explicit messages with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl in December 2022.
The minor he thought he was communicating with was actually a decoy created by OBL Global, a vigilante group that exposes child predators. The group set up a sting operation and captured Singh on video allegedly attempting to meet the minor for sex in New Jersey.
He was fired from his job by Catherine Borgia, the chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, after the footage surfaced on YouTube.
During Singh's bail hearing at the Federal Courthouse in White Plains, the government argued that Singh should not be released because the messages and his decision to travel to New Jersey prove he is a danger to the community.
The government also argued there is a risk he will run because of the strength of the evidence and the stiff sentence he will receive if convicted.
Singh's Attorney, Kevin Conway, claimed that was a not a justified basis for detainment.
"With these types of cases, as I advised the government, they're not likely to reoffend because of the intense public scrutiny. The concerns the government had for any future conduct can be dealt with extreme monitoring," said Conway.
The government disagreed with Conway, arguing that he made a broad statement
without data proving whether people are likely to reoffend.
The magistrate ultimately decided that Singh will be released while awaiting trial on a $700,000 unsecured bond co-signed by four supportive family members.
Singh has been placed on house arrest at the Tarrytown condo he shares with his mother. He is also ordered to undergo mandated mental health treatment, banned from accessing the internet and having contact with children.
There are several scenarios for the next step. The government could try to get an indictment, or the two sides could try to resolve the case. But if convicted, Singh could be facing a minimum of ten years to a max of life in prison.
