False accusation of Mohegan Lake family a 'hate crime'

A Cortlandt man is facing hate crime charges after allegedly harassing a Yorktown family by making a bogus report targeting their home.

Police said an anonymous 911 caller falsely accused a member of the family of posting threats on social media.

New York State Police said the unidentified caller claimed to have seen a threatening post and identified a Mohegan Lake address and resident as responsible before hanging up without providing complete identifying information. An investigation, including interviews and a review of cellular devices and social media accounts, found no evidence supporting the caller’s allegations.

Investigators believe the 911 report was knowingly false and made to harass a family at the address, which has not been released.

The alleged caller was later identified as 64-year-old Cortlandt resident John Pinchbeck. Police said Pinchbeck was found to have a documented history of harassing the same family and was subject to an active full stay-away order of protection. Investigators conducted a search of Pinchbeck’s Cortlandt home, seized electronic devices Jan. 15 and arrested him.

Pinchbeck was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment (hate crime), a class E felony; third-degree falsely reporting an incident (hate crime), also a class E felony; and second-degree criminal contempt, a class A misdemeanor.

Investigators said they found no evidence of a credible threat made by the family; the investigation is ongoing.

Pinchbeck was arraigned in Town of Cortlandt Court, remanded to the Westchester County Jail and appeared in court Jan. 21. He is due to appear again Feb. 11.