Suspects plead not guilty in Newburgh double murder

A Brooklyn rabbi and two former convicts pleaded not guilty today in an alleged double murder-for-hire plot in Newburgh. Rabbi Victor Koltun, 41, Frank Lewis, 56, and Craig Fennel, 51, appeared before

News 12 Staff

May 22, 2014, 7:22 PM

Updated 3,718 days ago

Share:

A Brooklyn rabbi and two former convicts pleaded not guilty today in an alleged double murder-for-hire plot in Newburgh.
Rabbi Victor Koltun, 41, Frank Lewis, 56, and Craig Fennel, 51, appeared before a judge in Orange County Court on murder, conspiracy and weapons charges.
Officials say the men killed former police officer Francis Piscopo and his nephew, Gerald Piscopo, in an empty Newburgh house last month.
Prosecutors say Lewis and Fennel are currently on parole for two separate attempted-murder convictions. They say Koltun is also an ex-con who served 57 months in prison for conspiring to commit bank and mail fraud.
Fennel is currently being held without bail. Lewis is being on $2 million bail and Koltun on $1 million bail.
Rabbi, 2 others indicted in Newburgh double murder3 arrested in murders of retired cop, nephew in Newburgh Newburgh PD: No arrests yet in double-murder of former cop, nephew Police identify body of man found dead as ex-cop


More from News 12
1:52
Hudson Valley doctors warn of listeria dangers following multi-state outbreak

Hudson Valley doctors warn of listeria dangers following multi-state outbreak

1:56
Sunny skies and warm temps for Saturday in the Hudson Valley

Sunny skies and warm temps for Saturday in the Hudson Valley

0:38
Multimillion-dollar transformation on the way for sections of Hudson Valley

Multimillion-dollar transformation on the way for sections of Hudson Valley

0:49
New basketball documentary film 'The Process' has ties to Westchester

New basketball documentary film 'The Process' has ties to Westchester

0:49
Olympic watch party in Pomona cheers on Rockland athletes

Olympic watch party in Pomona cheers on Rockland athletes

0:32
Veteran firefighter who suffered stroke receives warm welcome home

Veteran firefighter who suffered stroke receives warm welcome home

0:17
Yorktown police sergeant celebrates final walkout following 2 decades of service

Yorktown police sergeant celebrates final walkout following 2 decades of service

1:40
Lithium-ion battery fire blamed for closure of Newburgh tailor shop

Lithium-ion battery fire blamed for closure of Newburgh tailor shop

0:52
Slate Hill family of 5 loses home in afternoon blaze

Slate Hill family of 5 loses home in afternoon blaze

0:37
2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

1:30
Motorcycle, van crash in Greenburgh causes serious injuries

Motorcycle, van crash in Greenburgh causes serious injuries

0:56
News 12 probes mystery cloud traced to Orange County & seen throughout tri-state area

News 12 probes mystery cloud traced to Orange County & seen throughout tri-state area

1:02
Hillcrest Fire Department receives 2,000 cans of drinking water, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

Hillcrest Fire Department receives 2,000 cans of drinking water, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

1:37
Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Skyler Harman strikes down lightning myths

Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Skyler Harman strikes down lightning myths

2:33
Can swimming become dangerous due to extremely high water surface temperatures?

Can swimming become dangerous due to extremely high water surface temperatures?

0:32
NYC officials: Westchester caseworker’s death ruled a homicide

NYC officials: Westchester caseworker’s death ruled a homicide

0:40
State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

0:34
Ex Frito-Lay employee files defamation lawsuit against PepsiCo claiming he invented ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

Ex Frito-Lay employee files defamation lawsuit against PepsiCo claiming he invented ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

0:40
Executive orders still in place preventing Rockland County and Orange County hotels from converting into migrant shelters

Executive orders still in place preventing Rockland County and Orange County hotels from converting into migrant shelters

0:34
Finger in salad lawsuit against Chop’t discontinued

Finger in salad lawsuit against Chop’t discontinued