Who at Northern Virginia’s George Mason University is being held responsible for that institution’s former associate director of Equity and Diversity Services? His name is Ronald Sinacore, age 56. He has been sentenced to only 8 years in prison by Circuit Court Judge Jane Roush, who reduced a recommended 14 years.
Sinacore told the court he was “deeply ashamed” of videotaping himself having sex with several young men in his home and campus office – and then trying to blackmail them.
A Fairfax, Va., jury found him guilty of manufacturing and possessing child pornography and extortion. Fairfax police became aware of the situation when one of the young men went to a police station in September 2004, he reported that Sinacore was threatening to use tapes of sexual encounters to blackmail him for money.
The two had broken off their relationship years earlier, the man said. But Sinacore wanted it to resume. With police watching, the man met with Sinacore at the University Mall across from the George Mason campus. Here Sinacore told the man that he had three videotapes of them together, according to court records. Police searched Sinacore’s home in the Fairfax area, seizing computers and dozens of videotapes.
More victims emerged, including an 18-year-old male. He testified that he had one encounter with Sinacore as a 17-year-old and was unaware that it was taped. He said Sinacore demanded $10,000 to keep from showing the tape to the man’s parents.
Why did the jury recommend only 14 years for this absolutely disgusting former official of George Mason University?
Why did the judge reduce his sentence to 8 years – so that at age 64 this creature will be able to prey on the public again?
And as for George Mason University, why was Sinacore ever hired, not sufficiently watched, and not the cause of a university apology at his trial?
