Newly released court documents provide additional details about the case against a Cayuga County sheriff’s deputy accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a teenage boy.
According to court records first obtained and reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard, investigators allege that 25-year-old Hunter Lawrence of Auburn had sexual contact with the victim between 10 and 15 times over several months, with encounters taking place in Lawrence’s pickup truck and at his home in Moravia.
Lawrence was arrested by New York State Police on July 3 and charged with two counts of second-degree rape, two counts of third-degree rape, and endangering the welfare of a child.
The Syracuse Post-Standard reported that the court documents, filed in Homer Town Court, include felony complaints and statements from the victim and witnesses. According to investigators, the alleged victim was 14 and 15 years old during the incidents.
The newspaper reported that Lawrence told State Police he had been involved in a sexual relationship with the teen but claimed he believed the boy was 18 years old. Under New York law, a mistaken belief about a victim’s age is not a legal defense in statutory rape cases.
According to the court documents cited by the Post-Standard, the boy told investigators he met Lawrence online after creating a Snapchat account using a cell phone provided by a friend because his parents did not allow him to have his own phone until he turned 16.
The teen told investigators he initially connected with Lawrence through a dating website before moving their conversations to Snapchat, where Lawrence allegedly used the name “Josh.” During their early conversations, Lawrence allegedly identified himself as a Cayuga County Sheriff’s deputy.
The Post-Standard reported that the boy told investigators he claimed to be 18 years old when speaking with Lawrence. After communicating for several days, the two allegedly arranged to meet. Investigators say Lawrence picked up the teen near his home and drove to a dead-end road, where he allegedly revealed his real first name and the two had sex inside the pickup truck.
According to the court documents, investigators allege the pair returned to the same location numerous times between February and May. On at least one occasion, Lawrence allegedly drove the teen to his home in Moravia, where they also had sex. The victim told investigators he saw Lawrence’s marked patrol vehicle at the residence.
State Police have said there are no allegations that any of the alleged conduct occurred while Lawrence was on duty.
Lawrence joined the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy in 2023.
Following his arrest, Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck placed Lawrence on paid administrative leave, relieved him of all law enforcement duties, and revoked his authority to carry a firearm. The Sheriff’s Office has also launched an internal administrative investigation to determine whether Lawrence violated department policies or standards of conduct.
The charges against Lawrence are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This story includes information first reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard based on court documents filed in Homer Town Court.
