Weeks after being charged with stalking, the owner of the Sterling Renaissance Festival has been indicted by an Oswego County grand jury on charges including attempted rape and witness tampering.
In a news release Tuesday, New York State Police said investigators arrested 65-year-old Doug Waterbury of Oswego at state police barracks in Fulton.
State police said the investigation began after they were notified June 5 of a reported sex offense that occurred the previous day.
According to investigators, the victim contacted Waterbury after receiving his phone number while looking for housing. Waterbury offered to show the victim a property and picked them up at their residence. Instead of taking them to a rental unit he allegedly drove to an unoccupied commercial building in the town of Scriba.
There, investigators said Waterbury exposed himself and demanded that the victim perform an oral sex act. When the victim refused, he allegedly offered money in exchange for sex. The victim continued to refuse, and Waterbury later drove them back home.
Police said the investigation also revealed that Waterbury contacted a mutual acquaintance and offered the victim money in exchange for withdrawing the complaint.
Following his indictment, Waterbury was charged with attempted bribing a witness, a Class E felony; third-degree attempted rape, a Class A misdemeanor; and third-degree patronizing a person for prostitution, a Class A misdemeanor.
He was arraigned in Oswego County Court and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to return to court April 27.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
